Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel bullies big banks to stop dealing with weapons manufacturers, Sen. Ted Cruz opposes political exploitation of private companies, tells banks their business is welcome in Texas

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1/29/13, "Ted Cruz calls Chicago mayor a bully, tells him to keep gun control ‘above the Red River’," Houston Chronicle

"Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is fighting the mayor of Chicago's alleged ”bullying” of banks who provide services to gun manufacturers.

On January 24, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel sent letters to Bank of America and TD Bank, asking them to reconsider their million dollar relationships with Smith & Wesson and Sturm, Ruger & Co.

“Collectively we can send a clear and unambiguous message to the entire gun industry that investors will no longer financially support companies that support gun violence,” Emanuel wrote.

Today,  Cruz responded aggressively. In a letter sent to both banks and both gun manufacturers, the Houston Republican chastised the mayor for actions that “pressure private companies into enlisting in a political lobbying campaign.”

To Bryan T. Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America and Bharat Masrani, CEO of TD Bank Sen. Cruz promoted Texas’ “modest” view of government that values jobs and values freedom. He extended and offer to assist them in bringing  more business to Texas, in light of the reception they received in the Chicago.

To Smith & Wesson and Sturm, Rugor & Co. he thanked them for their commitment to the Second Amendment, and expressed condolences for the recent criticism of their companies.

• “It is unfortunate that ambitious politicians would try to impose financial harm or even drive your companies out of business in order to further their own political agendas,”  Cruz said.

In case Emanuel succeeds in persuading the banks, Cruz offered to connect them with financial institutions in Texas that “would be eager to earn their business.”
To the mayor himself, Cruz offered strong words and attacks on his management of the city.

“Your city’s longstanding policies stripping citizens of their constitutional right to keep and bear arms have, in turn, produced some of the very highest crime and murder rates in the Nation.”

Cruz went on to question the mayor’s motives, and ask him to “keep his efforts to diminish the Bill of Rights north of the Red River.”" via Free Republic

Letter from Senator Ted Cruz to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Bank of America, TD Bank Group, Smith & Wes…


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