Tyler Winklevoss, co-founder of cryptocurrency exchange Gemini, is baffled that Kamala Harris did not attend the cryptocurrency roundtable on August 8.
“All she needed was an internet connection,” Tyler said in a message on X.
Kamala Harris is the current Vice President of the United States and the Democratic Party’s nominee for the US presidential election. Her main rival is Donald Trump, the former president who has increasingly highlighted his pro-cryptocurrency stance, including promising to end Joe Biden’s “war on crypto” if elected.
Biden won’t run after dropping out and endorsing his vice president. For many observers, this has given Harris a prime opportunity to reset her party’s stance on cryptocurrency.
Yet, the Bitcoin (BTC) 2024 conference, which Trump attended, is an opportunity she missed. Critics also note that Harris has yet to speak openly about cryptocurrency. And in the midst of all this, it is observed that Operation Chokepoint 2.0 is still underway.
It is worth noting that the United States has approximately 50 million cryptocurrency holders who want their vote to count in making the United States the premier destination for blockchain and cryptocurrency innovation.
“Technical difficulties?” Winklevoss asks.
Crypto clearly wants Harris to make her position clear and provide direction on what her administration will be for crypto. Trump has done this, including promising to never sell the U.S. government’s stake in Bitcoin, firing Gary Gensler, and supporting a policy to establish a Bitcoin reserve.
But does that mean Harris had to attend the meeting? Maybe not, since the August 8 cryptocurrency roundtable involved some of the most senior White House officials.
However, the meeting was virtual and Tyler, like Cameron Winklevoss, couldn’t help but criticize his “absence.”
“I understand she’s on the campaign trail, but the meeting was virtual. All she needed was an internet connection. Technical difficulties?” the Gemini co-founder wrote on X.
Tyler also dismissed the Crypto4Harris campaign as a “grassroots” effort by those seeking a nuanced approach to crypto policy for Harris’ presidential campaign.
Who was present at the round table?
According to a report from The Block, attendees included Wally Adeyemo, the deputy secretary of the Treasury, and Lael Brainard, the director of the U.S. National Economic Council. Kamala Harris’ legislative affairs director, Kristine Lucius, was also in attendance.
The meeting was the second hosted by the White House and featured industry figures including Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, Circle’s Jeremy Allaire and Coinbase’s Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal.
Uniswap, Stellar Development Foundation, Kraken and crypto venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz saw their top executives in attendance.
