Kamala Harris has hired Binance’s David Plouffe and former Treasury official Brian Nelson as advisors. While her stance on cryptocurrency is still unclear as she runs for president, these appointments hint that she might be moving towards a more positive view on crypto.
Kamala Harris has appointed David Plouffe, a former Obama aide and former member of Binance’s Global Advisory Board, as her senior adviser for strategy, according to a Reuters report on Friday.
Kamala Harris Appoints Key Advisors with Crypto Connections
David Plouffe, who was serving as a global strategic advisor for Alchemy Pay and worked on strategy, compliance, and government relations, joined Kamala Harris’ team last week as her senior adviser for strategy.
Harris has also brought on Brian Nelson, the former undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence at the U.S. Treasury Department. Nelson was involved in the Treasury’s actions against Binance for alleged money laundering and sanctions violations in November last year. Despite this, his approach to the industry has been described as open-minded, focusing on regulating illicit activities while supporting innovation.
Cody Carbone, chief policy officer of the Digital Chamber, noted that Nelson has a long-standing working relationship with Harris, as mentioned in a response to a tweet by Bitwise chief investment officer Matt Hougan.
Kamala Harris’ Crypto Engagement and Vice Presidential Pick
Cody Carbone praised Brian Nelson for his open-minded approach to cryptocurrency, noting that his policy team has actively engaged with the industry. Carbone highlighted that while Nelson is concerned about illicit finance, he hasn’t condemned crypto outright.
Despite this, Kamala Harris declined an invitation to speak at the Bitcoin Conference last month, which some saw as a sign of reluctance to engage with crypto issues ahead of the November election. However, her recent appointments suggest she might be more open to working with the crypto industry.
In addition, Harris has named Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota, as her prospective Vice President. Walz has not made any public statements on cryptocurrency, but he recently signed a law in Minnesota imposing a maximum daily transaction limit of $2,000 for new customers using crypto ATMs.
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