The National Committee for Religious Freedom endorses political candidates and advocates for public policy that it claims promotes freedom of religion without government interference. ^{1 2} Sam Brownback, a former U.S. Senator, Kansas governor, and U.S. Ambassador for Religious Freedom, founded the organization in 2022. ^{3 4}

Shortly after its launch, the organization clashed with JP Morgan Chase after the bank closed the organization’s account and did not give a reason. ⁵

Background

The National Committee for Religious Freedom says it promotes the freedom of individuals and groups in the United States to worship and conduct religious activities without interference or persecution from the government. ⁶

At the group’s launch event in January 2022, Timothy Dolan, Cardinal Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York, said the “first freedom” of religious liberty is “surely one of the last freedoms to get a committee to safeguard it.” ⁷

Policy Advocacy

The National Committee for Religious Freedom is a 501(c)(4) organization that can endorse political candidates, while also supporting or opposing legislation or ballot initiatives. ⁸

The NCRF says it defends the right to religious freedom for all Americans, their religious communities, and faith-based institutions. ⁹

The NCRF says it focuses on promoting religious freedom in four key policy sectors: education, health care, military, and corporate. ¹⁰

The NCRF supports protecting the rights of parents to raise their children consistent with their moral and religious views and to participate actively in their children’s education,

the rights of students to express religious and moral beliefs in public schools, the rights of business owners to operate their businesses in a manner consistent with their religious beliefs, the rights of employees to exercise their religious beliefs at their jobs on a basis equal to the rights of expression of other employees, and the rights of medical professionals to apply religiously informed standards in patient care. ¹¹

At the January 2022 press conference announcing the founding of the NCRF, organizers expressed opposition to the proposed “Equality Act,” a bill that banned discrimination on sexual orientation and gender identity, because the legislation would water down portions of the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act and force faith-based organizations to operate against their beliefs. ¹²

People

Sam Brownback, a former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, Kansas Governor, and U.S. Ambassador for Religious Freedom, is the founder and chairman of the National Committee for Religious Freedom. ¹³

Pam Pryor is the national coalitions director of the NCRF. ¹⁴

The NCRF’s board of advisors members include Jeff Ballabon, the founder and director of the Jewish Legal Defense Fund; Timothy M. Dolan, Cardinal Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York; Michael Farris, former president and chief executive officer of Alliance for Defending Freedom; former U.S. Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-IL); Penny Nance, president of Concerned Women for America; Srilekha Reddy Palle, a board member of the American Hindu Coalition; Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council; former U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL); Talib Shareef, president and imam of the Nations Mosque; and former U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA). ¹⁵

De-Banking Controversy

In 2022, JP Morgan Chase closed the account of the National Committee for Religious Freedom without explanation. ¹⁶

NCRF founder Sam Brownback found out about the closure when he went to a Chase branch to make a deposit and was told the account was closed, was told that the decision came from the main corporate office, and was told the decision was irrevocable. He was also told that bank staff was instructed not to speak about the matter. ¹⁷

Chase later contacted NCRF staff to say it would open an account on the condition that the organization disclosed its donors and a list of recipients of funds and candidates it would endorse. NCRF declined. ¹⁸

Former Ambassador Brownback said Chase later asserted something “triggered looking into our account for money laundering and domestic terrorism.” Then, he said Chase told the NCRF that former Ambassador Brownback was a “politically exposed person.” ¹⁹

Brownback wrote a letter to Chase CEO Jamie Dimon demanding answers. A Chase spokesperson said of the matter: “Of course, I’m not able to speak about confidential client matters. But what I can say is we have never and would never exit a client relationship due to their political or religious affiliation.” ²⁰

NCRF launched the “#ChasedAway” campaign urging other faith-based organizations to get in touch with the bank and to report similar circumstances. ²¹

In May 2023, a group of 19 Republican state attorneys general, led by then-Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R), wrote to Dimon saying the company has “persistently discriminated” against customers based on “religious or political affiliation.” It cited the NCRF and other groups. ²²

Donors

Samaritan’s Purse has donated $10,000 to the National Committee for Religious Freedom. ²³

Find Me Faithful has contributed $5,000 to the NCRF. ²⁴

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3. “About.” National Committee for Religious Freedom. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://thencrf.org/about
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5. Joeseph, Jamie. “Christian legal firm celebrates win as Chase scales back ‘de-banking’ policy.” Fox News. May 24, 2024. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/christian-legal-firm-celebrates-win-chase-scales-back-debanking-policy
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11. “About.” National Committee for Religious Freedom. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://thencrf.org/about
12. Kellner, Mark A. “Brownback starts group to fund candidates who back religious freedom.” The Washington Times. January 18, 2022. Accessed August 8, 2024. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/jan/18/brownback-starts-group-fund-candidates-who-back-re/
13. “About.” National Committee for Religious Freedom. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://thencrf.org/about
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16.  Joeseph, Jamie. “Christian legal firm celebrates win as Chase scales back ‘de-banking’ policy.” Fox News. May 24, 2024. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/christian-legal-firm-celebrates-win-chase-scales-back-debanking-policy
17.  Williamson, Kevin D. “Debanking Is Just a Tax on Dissent.” The Dispatch. July 31, 2024. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://thedispatch.com/article/debanking-tax-dissent/
18. Brownback, Sam. “Are big banks chasing away religious organizations?” Washington Examiner. October 6, 2022. Accessed August 8, 2024. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/2598108/are-big-banks-chasing-away-religious-organizations/
19.  Williamson, Kevin D. “Debanking Is Just a Tax on Dissent.” The Dispatch. July 31, 2024. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://thedispatch.com/article/debanking-tax-dissent/
20. Brown, Jon. “Chase Bank allegedly shutters bank account of religious freedom nonprofit, demands donor list.” Fox Business. October 13, 2022. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/chase-bank-allegedly-shutters-bank-account-religious-freedom-nonprofit-demands-donor-list
21. Brown, Jon. “Chase Bank allegedly shutters bank account of religious freedom nonprofit, demands donor list.” Fox Business. October 13, 2022. Accessed August 7, 2024. https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/chase-bank-allegedly-shutters-bank-account-religious-freedom-nonprofit-demands-donor-list
22. Leo, Kelly. “EXCLUSIVE: ‘Woke’ bank put on notice: 19 states threaten legal consequences if JPMorgan Chase doesn’t stop ‘persistently discriminating’ against conservatives and religious organizations.” Daily Mail. May 2, 2023. Accessed August 8, 2024. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12034923/States-threaten-legal-consequences-JPMorgan-Chase-doesnt-stop-alleged-discrimination.html
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