Kamala Harris will not be speaking at Bitcoin Conference 2024 Kamala Harris will not be speaking at Bitcoin Conference 2024
Conference organizer suggests Harris must address Ross Ulbricht's sentence before engaging Bitcoin community.
2 min read
Updated: Jul. 24, 2024 at 4:12 pm UTC
Gage Skidmore / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Flickr. Remixed by CryptoSlate
Despite rumors circulating that the Democratic frontrunner for the US Presidential Election 2024, Kamala Harris, will be speaking at the Bitcoin Conference in Nashville this week, David Bailey has confirmed that she will not attend.
David Bailey, CEO of BTC Inc. and organizer of The Bitcoin Conference, confirmed this decision comes amid ongoing discussions about the Democratic Party’s stance on Bitcoin, crypto, and blockchain technology.
As Bailey reported on Twitter, his team had been in talks with Harris’ campaign about a potential appearance at the conference. However, he later announced that Harris would not participate, stating it was “no surprise.”
Bailey suggested that Harris’ absence may be due to the current administration’s approach to crypto regulation, which has been perceived as hostile by many in the industry.
The Bitcoin Conference organizer also raised the issue of Ross Ulbricht’s imprisonment as a potential stumbling block for Harris’ engagement with the crypto community. Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road darknet market, is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
He noted,
“What can she say to us when she’s actively imprisoning developers, forcing our industry overseas, attacking PoW… it would have been a disaster for her.”
For transparency, Ulbricht was not imprisoned under Biden; he was sentenced in 2015 when Barrack Obama was President. He appealed his sentence twice in 2017 under Donald Trump. In 2018, the Supreme Court declined to hear his case.
Bailey argued that commuting Ulbricht’s sentence should be considered “table stakes” for any politician seeking to address the Bitcoin community.
“I gotta be honest, feels like Kamala should commute Ross Ulbricht’s sentence before addressing the Bitcoin community. That’s the tables stakes.”
Although Harris is currently the Vice President and would be unable to commute Ulbricht’s sentence personally, Bailey appeared to be giving an ultimatum regarding a possible invitation. It is unclear at this time whether this was the reason for Harris not attending the conference or if she declined outright. CryptoSlate has contacted Bailey for confirmation but has not responded until press time.
Bailey pointed out that former President Donald Trump and independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have pledged to commute Ulbricht’s sentence if elected. This commitment has been well-received by many in crypto. Donald Trump did not commute Ulbricht’s sentence during his first term via Presidential pardon but has stated he will do so this time if elected.
The discussion around Harris’ potential appearance at The Bitcoin Conference comes at a time when crypto regulation and adoption are becoming increasingly important political issues, with 14% of US citizens holding Bitcoin. Harris’s stance on digital assets remains largely unknown, leading to speculation about whether a Harris administration would continue the Biden administration’s approach or adopt a more crypto-friendly position.
Meanwhile, other presidential candidates have been more vocal in supporting cryptocurrencies. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. proposed integrating Bitcoin into US debt management strategies and owns over $1 million worth of Bitcoin.
Similarly, the Trump campaign recently began accepting donations for various cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. There are also rumors that he would declare Bitcoin a strategic reserve asset, although any president would require Congress’s approval.
With Harris’ absence from The Bitcoin Conference, attention now turns back to Trump and his direct address to a Bitcoin audience.
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Author 
Liam 'Akiba' Wright
Also known as "Akiba," Liam is a reporter, editor and podcast producer at CryptoSlate. He believes that decentralized technology has the potential to make widespread positive change.
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In this article
Bitcoin, a decentralized currency that defies the sway of central banks or administrators, transacts electronically, circumventing intermediaries via a peer-to-peer network.
Kamala Devi Harris (born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 49th Vice President of the United States.
A businessman, politician, and media personality, Donald John Trump served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Ross William Ulbricht (born March 27, 1984) is a convicted American darknet market operator and narcotics trafficker, best known for creating and running the Silk Road website from 2011 until his arrest in 2013.
