The Press Democrat, November 8, 2023, Frustrated With New Rules, Bank Lobbyists Are Making Their Fight Public
In recent months, trade groups representing banks of all sizes, including the American Bankers Association, the Independent Community Bankers of America and the Bank Policy Institute, have accused federal regulators such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Reserve of regulatory overreach.
In taking on regulators directly, lobbyists have adopted a playbook typically favored by outside interest groups, which are not regulated and often employ more aggressive strategies to push for change, including when President Donald Trump was in office.
“The Trump administration really changed the tone and dialogue around regulations,” said Jesse Van Tol, president of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, a group that pushes banks to do business in poor and minority communities and generally supports tougher regulations.
“Many of us who were fighting tooth and nail all of the things that were coming during the Trump administration used similar tactics.”
