by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY/SOUTH BRONX, Dec 5 – As US bank regulators loosen rules - including the FDIC moving to eliminate public comment altogether on branch expansion applications - more big banks are moving to get bigger.
And now Federal Reserve is rejecting public comments opposing mergers, here Fifth Third's already sued Comerica proposal, citing the "reputation" of the submitter. Inner City Press / Fair Finance Watch wrote to the Board Secretary:
Yesterday Fair Finance Watch emailed a timely comment opposing Fifth Third / Comerica as we have always done - and got back this (which I'm glad we saw) "This is the mail system at host www2.webmail.pair.com. I'm sorry to have to inform you that your message could not be delivered to one or more recipients. It's attached below.
"federalreserve.gov: Your access to this mail system has been rejected due to the sending MTA's poor reputation."
We ask that an explanation be provided - and that the Federal Reserve System check on this pending application and other applications, including going forward, that it has not rejected comments from the public. Awaiting Fed response, Matthew Lee, Esq., Executive Director, Fair Finance Watch / Inner City Press
The response, days later, came not from the Board but a Reserve Bank, that in Cleveland: "comments can also be sent electronically to Comments.applications@clev.frb.org.”1 In order to ensure proper receipt of electronic comments on an application, please use the email address provided in the Federal Register notice.2 As you noted in your correspondence, based on consideration of the initial server from which it was sent, your first email on November 28, 2025, was flagged for spam and other suspicious activity, and automatically rejected by the Board’s system prior to receipt. However, the subsequent message that you sent to the Board’s email address on November 29, 2025, was received, and that message included the comment emailed on November 28, 2025."
But what about Reserve Bank like in Kansas City that list no email address? What of the non-public nature of the Reserve Bank? Still no response from the Board or Governors (who recently denied Fair Finance Watch's petition for rulemaking to preserve public access to HMDA data. We've refiled via the FDIC, OCC and even NCUA with the FFIEC, what- and who ever that it...
On October 6, Fifth Third announced it will apply to buy damaged Comerica Bank. On October 8-9, it was opposed, to the Fed and OCC. On November 10, after a contemptuous response by Fifth Third's Kala Gibson, the fight was spread to five more states.
They all accepted the comments from Fair Finance Watch. But now the Federal Reserve no longer does. A FOIA request has been emailed to the Federal Reserve Board, along with a request for expedited processing as it impacts other pending merger applications - watch this site.
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