Quid pro quo Cryptocurrency companies are reaping the benefits of their contributions to Trump and other pro-crypto politicians. Company Benefit Contribution Justin Sun and Tron SEC enforcement case stayed pending resolution Criminal investigation possibly paused $75 million to purchase WLFI tokens from Trump-owned World Liberty Financial $37.7 million to purchase $TRUMP memecoins (via HTX) Listed USD1 for trading on HTX Cumberland DRW SEC enforcement case dismissed with prejudice $100 million investment into Trump-owned Trump Media & Technology Group $100,000 to crypto-focused super PACs Ripple SEC enforcement case stayed pending resolution Joint request to return $75 million of previous SEC fine to Ripple $73 million to crypto-focused super PACs $5 million to Trump inauguration fund Coinbase SEC enforcement case dismissed with prejudice Relaunched bitcoin borrowing program previously shut down after SEC warnings $75 million to crypto-focused super PACs $1 million to Senate super PACs $1 million to Trump inauguration fund Sponsored Trump birthday military parade Andreessen Horowitz Four Andreessen Horowitz employees installed in formal or informal positions of influence at the White House $70 million to crypto-focused super PACs $5.35 million to Trump super PACs Gemini SEC enforcement case stayed pending reslution SEC investigation ended with no action $4.9 million to crypto-focused super PACs $2.6 million to Trump super PACs Kraken SEC enforcement case dismissed with prejudice Relaunched staking services which were shut down as part of a February 2023 SEC settlement $1 million to Trump super PACs $1 million to Trump inauguration fund $1 million to crypto-focused super PACs Circle SEC approved IPO Favorable stablecoin regulation $1 million to Trump inauguration fund $1 million to crypto-focused super PACs Robinhood SEC investigation ended with no action $2 million to Trump inauguration fund ConsenSys SEC enforcement case dismissed with prejudice $800,000 to crypto-…

Quid pro quo between cryptocurrency firms, the Trump administration, and the Trump family’s crypto ventures.

www.followthecrypto.org/quidproquo

In the chat, Sheila Warren from the Crypto Council for Innovation acknowledged that corruption and crypto go hand-in-hand. “The point is that Trump’s corruption is manifesting dramatically in crypto, so if you’re going to campaign on crypto, you can’t ignore that,” she wrote to the group. “If I were an ordinary Dem running in the midterms, I personally would stay away from crypto apart from being vaguely supportive — unless I were on a committee of jurisdiction and have to have a [point-of-view]. And if the latter, I would flag the corruption and be a pro-crypto anti-corruption candidate.”

Others in the chat wrote that corruption didn’t matter to them, outside of how Democrats could use it as a political tool. “I disagree that the corruption thing matters at all. Everyone knows Trump is corrupt… corruption is a red herring,” said Garg, the venture capitalist at Electric Capital. “Agree,” Warren responded. “But as in any crypto group chat, we love to pretend there is no broader context.”

🚨New reporting from @thelever.bsky.social pulls back the curtain on a back door Signal chat between the Democratic insiders and crypto lobbyists pushing the GENIUS Act:

Dems are backing the bill while privately acknowledging it benefits Trump's corrupt self enrichment.

Ben McKenzie Made One of the Best Documentaries in Years. Will Anyone Get to See It? The ‘O.C.’ heartthrob’s crusade against crypto continues with ‘Everyone Is Lying to You for Money.’ But in a crypto-friendly climate, finding a distributor may be a challenge.

Ben remains A Real Fucking Dude, and I hope this gets out there.

Dems’ Crypto Schemers Have Entered The Chat A secret group chat reveals that Democratic strategists plan to support the pro-crypto GENIUS Act for political gain, despite acknowledging it’s a Trump corruption giveaway.

"A secret group chat reveals that Democratic strategists plan to support the pro-crypto GENIUS Act for political gain, despite acknowledging it’s a Trump corruption giveaway."

What Sen. Dems are up to as Trump/regime unleashes hell on ... checks notes ... Dems & communities/states they represent.

Says the junior Democratic Senator from New York - who is fighting hard to pass a shady crypto bill to help ... MAGA billionaires.

Democratic strategist David Plouffe to become Coinbase’s newest adviser The former aide to Kamala Harris and Barack Obama is jumping into an industry tightly embraced by Donald Trump.

Former Obama Campaign Manager and Harris Campaign Senior Advisor David Plouffe has been announced as the latest member of crypto giant, Coinbase's "Global Advisory Council." This is another example of a DC insider cashing in by selling their influence to the highest bidder

Special shout to Rep. Richie Torres, who scolded the SEC for not suing Binance fast enough when Binance competitors wrote talking points for him, but who has gone silent now that the case is dropped.

It’s been two weeks since Coinbase disclosed its data breach, and so far we’re up to:

• 8 customer class actions against Coinbase
• 1 shareholder class action against Coinbase
• 1 customer class action against TaskUs, a contractor the plaintiffs allege was responsible for the breach

JD Vance sings cryptocurrency praises at Bitcoin conference Vice President JD Vance praised the cryptocurrency industry as the keynote speaker at the Bitcoin 2025 Conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday, and he promised full support for the industry from the Whit...

Brady Dale's @axios.com claim here that "people vote crypto" is wildly unfounded. In 2024, crypto PACs didn't even run ads about crypto - they know it's wildly *unpopular* outside of the DC bubble. 80% of those experienced w crypto don't trust it!

www.cbsnews.com/video/jd-van...

Data Breach Notifications Entity Information Type of Organization: Financial Services Entity Name: Coinbase, Inc. Street Address: 248 3rd Street #434 City: Oakland State, or Country if outside the US: CA Zip Code: 94607 Submitted By Name: Michael Rubin Title: Attorney Firm name (if different than entity): Latham and Watkins LLP Telephone Number: (415) 395-8154 Email Address: michael.rubin@lw.com Relationship to entity whose information was compromised: Outside Counsel Breach Information Total number of persons affected (including residents): 69461 Total number of Maine residents affected: Approximately 217 If the number of Maine residents exceeds 1,000, have the consumer reporting agencies been notified: Date(s) Breach Occured: December 26, 2024 Date Breach Discovered: May 11, 2025 Description of the Breach: Insider wrongdoing Information Acquired - Name or other personal identifier in combination with: Notification and Protection Services Type of Notification: Written Date(s) of consu

A Coinbase data breach filing with the Maine Attorney General finally gives us some more detail than Coinbase’s vague “less than 1% of monthly transacting users”. 69,461 people were affected, and Coinbase says the data breach occurred on December 26, 2024.

Unbelievable. With Dem support, the senate passes an industry-friendly crypto bill that does nothing about Trump's crypto corruption.

Ignore these Dems' speeches. Watch their votes. They're telling you they don't get it. And then they spam you to say Trump is bad so please donate more money.

Coinbase logo  4/12/2025 Update to the Coinbase User Agreement We are emailing you about an important upcoming update to the Coinbase User Agreement. This update will revise our Arbitration Agreement with you. We made these updates to streamline the process for resolving disputes. You can read the entire agreement here. The revised terms are in sections 9.9, 9.10 and Appendix 6. These terms apply only to disputes that you or we initiate after May 15, 2025. The current terms will continue to apply until May 15. Please make sure you read the updated User Agreement. Thank you for being part of the crypto economy! Team Coinbase

9.9. Class, Collective, Representative, and Mass Action Waiver and Jury Trial Waiver. You and Coinbase agree that, except as specified in the Batch Arbitration Provision set forth above, each of us may bring claims against the other only on an individual basis and not on a class, representative, or collective basis or as part of a mass action (such as a mass arbitration), and the parties hereby waive all rights to bring or to participate in such actions in arbitration or in court to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. This provision does not prevent you or Coinbase from participating in a class-wide settlement of claims. YOU AND WE AGREE TO WAIVE OUR RIGHTS TO A JURY TRIAL. To the extent that any Dispute proceeds in court, and to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you and we agree to waive any right to a jury trial and have such matter resolved by a judge (also known as a bench trial). 9.10 Forum Selection. Unless you and Coinbase agree otherwise, to the maxim

In April, Coinbase announced changes to its user agreement that added two clauses limiting class action lawsuits and requiring lawsuits to be filed in New York. The changes apply to disputes initiated after May 15.

On May 14, Coinbase disclosed a data breach.

Schiff email fundraiser screenshot: "Murshed, Before he was president and leader of one of the most extreme political movements in the history of our country, Donald Trump purported himself to be a very successful businessman, known for perfecting the “art of the deal.” These days, he’s certainly executing on the art of the deal. But the only beneficiaries of that deal are himself, his family, and his ultra-wealthy MAGA donors. That’s the "art of the deal" with this president. He gets rich. You and your family get nothing. Over and over and over again. With shady deals, quid pro quos, massive gifts, you name it."

Schiff email fundraiser screenshot: "I recently took to the Senate floor to speak about Trump’s most egregious, selfish acts in the first few months of his presidency — and I will continue to speak out about how this president is treating this country as his piggy bank. Chip in to amplify my message and help me stand up to the attacks that come in response to my work to hold Trump accountable. If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately: EXPRESS DONATE $10 EXPRESS DONATE $25 EXPRESS DONATE $50 EXPRESS DONATE $100 EXPRESS DONATE $250 ANOTHER AMOUNT"

Schiiff email fundraiser screenshot: "n just 4 months, here are just some of the ways Trump has corrupted the Oval Office to his own benefit: Letting Elon Musk turn the White House South Lawn into a Tesla showroom. We know how close Trump and Musk are, and they both benefit from Musk getting free publicity. Encouraging his sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, to open a private club in Washington, D.C. It’s called “The Executive Branch,” promises close access to top-ranking Trump officials, and costs just half a million dollars to join. Accepting a $400 million plane from the Qatari government as a “gift.” Sharing his “meme coin” on social media, giving the ultra-wealthy an easy way to literally buy influence in the administration. Murshed, I could go on and on. But the bottom line is this: Trump cares about one thing, and one thing only: Deals to make himself richer. Make his family richer. Make his billionaire friends richer. And he is succeeding — big time. It is up to us to call out his corruption, demand accountability, and fight to restore some semblance of integrity in the Oval Office. Help me do just that — pitch in."

Now, this is a perfect example of vapid, shallow, unethical fundraising without any principals or substance. @adamschiff.com's campaign sent out this email targeting Trump's corruption (sent it twice) on the same day he is voting to advance a shady crypto bill that will benefit Trump by billions.

The GENIUS crypto bill includes a provision that sounds great: stablecoin issuers can't name their product in a way that would trick people into thinking they're backed by the US Treasury. Like, idk, "USD". Trump's stablecoin is USD1. Here's the loophole they included so Trump could still get paid:

This is all nothing more than performative BS on the part of @schumer.senate.gov who appears to be enabling his DSCC chair @kirstengillibrand.bsky.social and other corporate Dems like @markwarner.bsky.social (part of leadership) @gallego.senate.gov to advance shady crypto bill this week.

This week, the Senate is voting on crypto stablecoin legislation while President Trump holds a dinner for the largest owners of his crypto meme coins.

As I told @ushousefsc.bsky.social, the President's crypto conflicts are bad for consumers, taxpayers, and honest businesses.

Apparently Warner @markwarner.bsky.social is going to support the stablecoin bill - last deregulation he conspired with Republicans to pass ended in a regional banking crisis 5 years later. It also happened to be a $3.3 billion stablecoin bailout.

Why are these people taken seriously?

“There’s certainly a parallel to Hunter Biden, who traded off his father’s name while he was vice president,” said former US Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) who was chairman of the House Ethics committee. The latest apparent conflict of interest surfaced last Tuesday, when an unknown Chinese e-commerce firm GD Culture Group with zero revenue, eight employees and a business reliant on TikTok said it would buy up to $300 million of $TRUMP – even as Trump weighs plans to allow TikTok to stay online in the US despite Congress’s ban.

When right-wing papers like NYPost and R House Ethics Committee members are calling Trump's crypto deals a 'Hunter Biden-Style Scandal'....

So why would Schumer, Gillibrand, Alsobrooks, Gallego, Warner, and other Dems support a bill making Trump's crypto businesses even more lucrative?

Opinion | Republicans want a giveaway for Trump’s new favorite industry. Democrats must say no. Senate Republicans are pushing a bill that would grant some of the biggest companies in history a dangerous chance to operate their own financial systems.

A bakery cannot own a bank, bc that puts you in the uncomfortable position of buying things from the same business that holds your $. But the #GENIUS Act would tear down that firewall, allowing Big Tech to own their own #crypto currencies. Read my op-ed on @msnbc.com >> www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnb...

Tweet from Brendan Pedersen: @BrendanPedersen News: The Coinbase-backed Stand with Crypto Alliance warned Senate offices this morning that the upcoming cloture vote on GENIUS -- not just final passage -- will be scored as a "key vote" for crypto-friendliness Industry stepping up pressure as Fairshake war chest looms

If you want to know why any Democrats are supporting Trump's crypto bill even after he's gained about $3 billion (~7 Qatari Luxury Jets) from his crypto businesses - it's the campaign money.

Memo from Sen. Elizabeth Warren laying out how the stablecoin (crypto) bill would “Fuel Trump’s Crypto Corruption.”

Senate offices (202-224-3121) to ☎️ today besides Gallego, Alsobrooks, Schumer to stop the shady crypto bill:

Blunt-Rochester
Warnock -WTF😡
Cortez-Masto
Booker -WTF 😡
Slotkin
Schiff -WTF😡
Lujan
Kim -WTF😡

@warren.senate.gov memo on crypto corruption & Trump

www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/do...

How can @schumer.senate.gov justify keeping @kirstengillibrand.bsky.social as the chair of the @dscc.bsky.social if she is going to be so cavalier about issues around Trump corruption?

Meet ‘Ice,’ ‘Ogle’ and other crypto millionaires who bought a night with Trump Most of the crypto investors who bought Trump’s meme coin for a chance at dinner with the president remain anonymous. Some are publicly celebrating their invitation.

“The gala dinner at the Trump National Golf Club on Thursday will link the president to an unusual collection of deep-pocketed crypto players from around the world, some of whom … hope to influence his views on how their industry is regulated or otherwise capitalize on the presidential access.”

@fetterman.senate.gov @heinrich.senate.gov @senatorhick.govpeeps.us @cortezmasto.senate.gov @warnock.senate.gov @schatz.bsky.social @bluntrochester.senate.gov Are you all okay with Bo Hines and David Sacks as the silent partner in negotiations on GENIUS? I wouldn't be...

@schumer.senate.gov @kirstengillibrand.bsky.social @alsobrooks.senate.gov @gallego.senate.gov @markwarner.bsky.social if Bo Hines and David Sacks are key architects of the deal you're hoping to strike with Republican on the crypto GENIUS Act...we should all be very worried.

YouTube video by Jen Taub Jen Taub LIVE - Will they CAVE to him on CRYPTO?!!

Joining @jennifertaub.com this morning at 9AM to talk about Trump Crypto corruption and the Senate Democrats supporting a bill to supercharge international bribery

Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgb6...

I am up in The New Republic: Are Some Dems About to Cave to Crypto? It Wouldn’t Be the First Time newrepublic.com/article/1950...

A reminder of one of the first acts of Biden Administration under Jeffrey Zients.

X Post Quoting Senator Gillibrand “A lot of what President Trump’s engaged in is already illegal,” Gillibrand told me tonight. “So I’m not that worried about this bill having to deal with all of President Trump’s ethics problems”

"Trump's doing crime and I'm doing a stablecoin bill" is not the strong statement Gillibrand thinks it is. She's a lawyer - would she call these high crimes or misdemeanors? @kirstengillibrand.bsky.social

Earlier this year the SEC paused the civil fraud case against Justin Sun

bsky.app/profile/wend...

Coinbase says hackers bribed staff to steal customer data and are demanding $20 million ransom The incident may cost Coinbase up to $400 million to fix, the company estimated.

The great thing is crypto is a new decentralized and secure technology. Technology immune to complex new attacks like bribing insiders at a centralized intermediary and social engineering.

www.cnbc.com/2025/05/15/c...