The Chamber of Digital Commerce specifically asked Vice President Kamala Harris to pick a vice president with “a strong record of engagement with digital asset technology and advocacy for policies that support innovation.”
President Joe Biden said Sunday he would not seek re-election this year and subsequently endorsed Harris as his potential successor.
The Chamber of Digital Commerce asked Vice President Kamala Harris to take a more positive stance on cryptocurrencies in a letter sent to Democratic presidential candidates.
Cryptocurrency has quickly become part of the election season. The Republican Party expressed support for cryptocurrency companies and investors in its 2024 election platform, including a vow to end the "illegal and un-American crackdown" on the U.S. cryptocurrency industry.
The Chamber noted in its letter that some top Democratic lawmakers have voted in favor of bills regulating cryptocurrencies over the past year, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Harris, who has a prolific political career in tech-centric San Francisco, has not taken a firm stance on cryptocurrencies.
“However, the public perception is that the Republican Party has a negative view of digital assets, largely because the Biden/Harris Administration has been particularly cautious and, at times, hostile toward these transformative technologies,” the Chamber said in its letter Monday. “We believe that prior hostility does not reflect the progressive and inclusive values of the Republican Party.”
President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he will not seek re-election in the upcoming 2024 presidential election and endorsed Harris to succeed him as the Democratic nominee. The Democratic Party will choose its presidential candidate at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month.
The Chamber specifically asked Harris to pick a vice president with a "strong record of engagement with digital asset technology and pro-innovation policies," and singled out Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who has a friendly stance toward cryptocurrency. According to multiple news reports, he accepted campaign contributions in cryptocurrency and allowed taxes to be paid in cryptocurrency while serving as governor.
The Chamber also asked the vice president to include “supportive digital asset language” in the Democratic platform and to engage in public discussions with crypto industry leaders.
“We hope that, under your leadership, the Democratic Party will move toward a more supportive stance toward digital assets, aligned with the aspirations of the millions of Americans who believe in the transformative power of this technology,” the chamber said.
