FOLLOW US

America June 1, 2022 3 mins read

Anti-crypto advocates are counter-lobbying crypto in DC 

America ı By Jackie Allen

0 Comments

counterlobby

Some technology experts are urging United States lawmakers to resist the efforts of the growing pro-crypto lobby. 

A letter leaked to Cointelegraph was written by Bruce Schneier, a lecturer at Harvard. 

Schneier who bills himself as a “public-interest technologist” said in 2008 that cryptos are “useless.” And claims made by advocates of cryptocurrencies are just not true.

The letter was signed by a myriad of tech experts and politicians. 

“We urge you to resist pressure from digital asset industry financiers, lobbyists, and boosters to create a regulatory safe haven for these risky, flawed, and unproven digital financial instruments.”

Microsoft’s Miguel de Icaza and Kelsey Hightower, a principal engineer at Google Cloud added their signatures to the effort. The academic community led by Schnier is spearheading attempts to crack down on the influence of the rapidly growing crypto industry.

The letter was also signed by both Senate Majority and Minority Leaders Charles Schumer and Mitch McConnell, Republican Patrick Toomey, and Democrat Ron Wyden. In the past, both Toomey and Wyden have supported crypto developments.

The letter says that blockchain advocates are making claims that are “not true.” It adds that the technology is not secure and not really decentralized. According to the letter, a system where you can “lose your life savings” if you forget your password is “not a safe system.”

“Counter-lobbying” crypto

This effort by tech scientists and academics is aimed at criticizing crypto and blockchain. Software developer Stephen Diehl added his name to the list. He says that the letter is part of a larger effort of counter-lobbying. And that pro-crypto supporters just tell politicians “What they want” and the counter-lobbying effort will outline the consequences.

The letter was addressed to US lawmakers. But it was also an effort to counter-lobby the growing digital assets sector. This is the first “organized effort” and joint approach to redirect the pro-crypto lobby. 

By criticizing crypto investments and pointing out weaknesses in blockchain tech the group is taking on the pro-crypto lobby. According to Public Citizen the budget spent on crypto lobbying from 2018 to 2021 grew from $2.2 million to $9 million.

In the midst of the recent collapse of the Terra network a lot of investors have lost a fortune in r Terra (LUNA) and TerraUSD (UST) savings.

Yesterday, the Federal Reserve published a study that examined the possibilities of the central bank digital currencies (CBDC) on the implementation of U.S. monetary policies. 

The academic’s letter is an attempt to dissuade regulators from supporting the efforts of pro-crypto lobbyists to create a “regulatory safe haven” for the crypto marketplace.

Analysts have very mixed and varying opinions on the U.S. Federal Reserve’s quantitative tightening that’s scheduled for today. Even though it remains a volatile marketplace and there are doubts over how long Bitcoin's recent price bounce will last, voices remain strong on crypto.

 

Previous Article

FTC Shuts Down Financial Education Services for Defrauding $213M from Consumers

Read More
3333 Posts

Jackie Allen

Jackie is a freelance journalist and technology geek. She worked as a telecom project director for AT&T and BellSouth. Before joining the USA Herald she has written books, articles, blogs and whitepapers. Her clients include Samsung and other technology companies.

Discussion

No comments yet. Be the first to join the discussion!

Don’t Miss It
America September 18, 2026
Nicki Minaj Fights Personal Liability In…

NEW YORK — Nicki Minaj is fighting to remove herself…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 18, 2026
Cher Wins Procedural Victory As Conservatorship…

Key Takeaways Cher secured a procedural victory in her renewed…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 18, 2026
Class-Action Lawsuit Claims Meta AI Glasses…

By Samuel López | USA Herald SAN FRANCISCO – A growing…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 18, 2026
Dua Lipa’s $15 Million Lawsuit Against…

By Samuel López | USA Herald CALIFORNIA – Pop superstar…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 18, 2026
Uber Ordered to Pay $40 Million…

Uber has been ordered to pay $40 million to the…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 17, 2026
DEA Investigation Into Hayden Panettiere Death…

A DEA Investigation into the death of actress Hayden Panettiere…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 17, 2026
DEA Investigation Into Hayden Panettiere Death…

A DEA Investigation into the death of actress Hayden Panettiere…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 17, 2026
Starbucks Settles Florida DEI Lawsuit For…

Key Takeaways Starbucks has settled Florida’s lawsuit challenging the company’s…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 17, 2026
Tyler Perry Plans Puerto Rico Move…

Key Takeaways Tyler Perry says he plans to move to…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 17, 2026
New Balance Sues Decathlon Over Kiprun…

Key Takeaways New Balance claims Decathlon’s mirrored Kiprun “K” logo…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 17, 2026
TV Azteca Files Chapter 15 in…

When a company’s debts stretch across borders, sometimes the restructuring…

By – Rachel Moore
America September 17, 2026
DNO to Acquire Capricorn in $400M…

Corporate takeover battles can play out like a chess match…

By – Rachel Moore
America September 17, 2026
Blueface Livestream Drama Raises Family Court…

Key Takeaways Repeated livestreams involving Blueface and Nevaeh Akira have…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 16, 2026
Pentagon Admits Space Weapons Are Already…

Key Takeaways The U.S. has confirmed for the first time…

By – Samuel Lopez
And More September 14, 2026
Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun Celebrate…

Sydney Sweeney celebrated her 29th birthday with a public declaration…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 13, 2026
AI Whistleblowers:  Warnings  Coming From Inside…

AI Whistleblowers are increasingly sounding the alarm about the speed…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 13, 2026
Serena Williams’ Daughters Make History as…

Serena Williams has built one of the most decorated careers…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 13, 2026
KJ Biermann Faces Seven Felony Charges…

KJ Biermann, the 15-year-old son of “Real Housewives of Atlanta”…

By – Jackie Allen
Breaking News September 17, 2026
Fed Rate Hike Adds to Americans’…

WASHINGTON — A Fed rate hike is adding to Americans’…

By – Michallie Harrison
America September 16, 2026
Ed Sheeran Macklemore Fallout Sparks Mass…

A concert tour is supposed to build momentum night after…

By – Tyler Brooks
America September 16, 2026
CLARITY Act Stalls In Senate As…

Key Takeaways Senate Democrats opposed advancing the CLARITY Act after…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 15, 2026
Oracle 6 AM Layoff Email Blindsides…

Most people wake up to alarms, coffee, maybe a weather…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America September 15, 2026
Grab Holdings to Buy 60% of…

Building a financial services empire from scratch can feel like…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America September 15, 2026
Electra Therapeutics’ $325M IPO Bets Big…

Traditional treatments for immune diseases often work like a wide-net…

By – Rihem Akkouche
America September 15, 2026
Massachusetts AG Joins 21-State Coalition Suing…

Key Takeaways Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell has joined attorneys…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 14, 2026
TMZ Ties Itself to the Hayden…

Key Takeaways TMZ is reporting that law enforcement sources believe…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 13, 2026
Bayer’s $7.25 Billion Roundup Settlement Faces…

Key Takeaways Bayer’s Monsanto unit will ask a Missouri judge…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 13, 2026
Tylenol Maker and Pharmacy Chains Ask…

By Samuel López | USA Herald Tylenol maker Kenvue and…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 13, 2026
Lawyers Are Getting Burned by AI…

Key Takeaways Courts across the country have been sanctioning lawyers…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 10, 2026
41% of Lawyers Say Legal Careers…

Key Takeaways More than 41% of surveyed lawyers say the…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 13, 2026
KJ Biermann Faces Seven Felony Charges…

KJ Biermann, the 15-year-old son of “Real Housewives of Atlanta”…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 13, 2026
Team USA Reaches Women’s Basketball World…

BERLIN — Team USA advanced to the FIBA Women’s Basketball…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 11, 2026
Bears and RB Swift $33.75M Extension…

Sometimes the best deals get done before the clock even…

By – Tyler Brooks
America September 11, 2026
Skywatchers: Moonshadow Creates Dramatic Blood Moon…

A Moonshadow transformed the night sky Aug. 27 as the…

By – Jackie Allen
America September 6, 2026
Travis Kelce-Backed Club Car Wash Faces…

By Samuel López | USA Herald A fast-growing car wash…

By – Samuel Lopez
America September 6, 2026
‘DWTS’ Gleb Savchenko Lists $1.4 Million…

By Samuel López | USA Herald Factual Background Gleb Savchenko…

By – Samuel Lopez

No posts found.

No posts found.

Signup for the USA Herald
exclusive Newsletter