GOP's Sen. Hawley scrutinizes credit card firms for tracking gun purchases

Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley sent a letter on Tuesday to major credit card companies inquiring as to their efforts to track gun purchases.

Visa, MasterCard and American Express each received the letter from Hawley after they announced they would separately track gun purchases, according to the Washington Examiner.

Hawley suggested that the effort would infringe on Second Amendment rights and pose a barrier to the lawful purchase of firearms.

"This new system is ripe for abuse and brings to mind similar policies of Big Tech companies and payment processors that have targeted law-abiding Americans for engaging in constitutionally protected activities. I urge you to immediately reverse course," he wrote in the letter.

"Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and other payment card companies should not distinguish lawful firearm-related purchases from other retail purchases," Hawley continued. "Americans have had enough of massive companies using their market power to drive ordinary people out of the public square. These practices must end."

"The big three credit card companies say they will start tracking gun purchases, making it easier to track gun owners — and to stop sales," the senator said of the effort. "Big threat to Second Amendment rights. I want to know from the corporations why they capitulated to the anti-2A lobby."