Bitcoin
Kamala Harris Won’t Speak at Bitcoin Conference 2024
Despite rumors circulating that Democratic frontrunner for the 2024 US presidential election Kamala Harris will speak at the Bitcoin Conference in Nashville this week, David Bailey has confirmed that she will not to appear.
David Bailey, CEO of BTC Inc. and organizer of The Bitcoin Conference, confirmed that this decision comes amid discussions on the Democratic Party’s stance on Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.
As Bailey reported on Twitter, his team was in talks with Harris’s campaign about a possible appearance at the conference. However, he later announced that Harris would not be attending, saying it was “no surprise.”
Bailey suggested that Harris’ absence may be due to the government’s current approach to cryptocurrency regulation, which has been seen as hostile by many in the industry.
The Bitcoin Conference organizer also raised the issue of Ross Ulbricht’s arrest as a potential obstacle to Harris’ engagement with the crypto community. Ulbricht, the founder of the darknet marketplace Silk Road, is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
He noticed,
“What she can tell us when she is actively locking up developers, forcing our industry overseas, attacking PoW… it would have been a disaster for her.”
For transparency, Ulbricht was not arrested under Biden; he was sentenced in 2015 when Barrack Obama was president. He appealed his phrase twice in 2017 under Donald Trump. In 2018, the Supreme Court refused to hear his case.
Bailey argued that commuting Ulbricht’s sentence should be considered a “safe bet” for any politician looking to address the Bitcoin community.
“I have to be honest, it seems like Kamala should commute Ross Ulbricht’s sentence before addressing the Bitcoin community. That’s the table stakes.”
While Harris is currently the vice president and cannot personally commute Ulbricht’s sentence, Bailey appeared to be issuing an ultimatum regarding a possible invitation. It is unclear at this point whether this was the reason for Harris not attending the conference or if she declined outright. CryptoSlate reached out to Bailey for confirmation, but did not respond by the time of publication.
Bailey noted that former President Donald Trump and independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have both promised to commute Ulbricht’s sentence if elected. This commitment has been welcomed by many in crypto. Donald Trump did not commute Ulbricht’s sentence during his first term through a presidential pardon, but has stated that he will do so this time if elected.
The discussion surrounding Harris’s possible appearance at The Bitcoin Conference comes at a time when cryptocurrency regulation and adoption are becoming increasingly important political issueswith 14% of US citizens holding Bitcoin. Harris’ stance on digital assets remains largely unknownleading to speculation about whether the Harris administration would continue the Biden administration’s approach or adopt a more crypto-friendly stance.
Meanwhile, other presidential candidates have been more vocal in their support of cryptocurrencies. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has proposed integrating Bitcoin into U.S. debt management strategies and owns over $1 million in Bitcoin.
Similarly, Trump’s campaign recently began accepting donations in several cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. There are also rumors that he will declare Bitcoin as strategic reserve assetalthough any president would need congressional approval.
With Harris absent from the Bitcoin Conference, attention now turns to Trump and his direct address to the Bitcoin crowd.