Congressman Himes proposes ethics overhaul barring federal officials and families from profiting via digital asset conflicts of interest.
In a world where the line between ethics and a good old-fashioned gold rush is as blurry as a drunken octopus on roller skates, U.S. Congressman Jim Himes (D-CT) decided to take a stand. On June 11, during a legislative session that was probably more exciting than watching paint dry, he presented an amendment to the CLARITY Act. This amendment aims to tackle the rather sticky issue of conflicts of interest in the cryptocurrency markets. Because, you know, nothing says “trustworthy” like a politician with a side hustle in digital coins. 💰
From the hallowed halls of the House floor, Himes unleashed a tirade against what he called “partisan hypocrisy.” He warned that the tolerance for misconduct among government leaders was growing faster than a weed in a neglected garden. “We have all been treated to one of the most egregious, shocking abuses from the White House … imaginable,” he declared, probably while shaking his fist at the sky. If the Biden family had been caught with their hands in the crypto cookie jar, he suggested, the calls for impeachment would be louder than a marching band in a library.
Himes’s amendment is as simple as a two-piece jigsaw puzzle: it aims to prevent policymakers from regulating digital assets while simultaneously cashing in on them. He explained, with all the seriousness of a cat contemplating its next nap:
An amendment to the CLARITY Act that would prohibit federal elected officials from issuing a digital asset or holding a financial interest in an issuer of a digital asset.
This initiative is like putting up a “No Swimming” sign at a shark-infested beach, aiming to create a firm ethical boundary. Lawmakers and executive officials would be barred from participating in digital asset ventures while in office. Himes condemned the idea that such officials could use their positions to promote or profit from crypto assets, stating, “It is madness that we should be allowed to issue a memecoin or a digital asset or a digital commodity because it’s just a vehicle for a bribe.” And who doesn’t love a good bribe, right? 😏
He emphasized that the rules should apply equally, whether you’re a freshman member of Congress or the President of the United States, who, thanks to the Supreme Court, is accruing more power than a kid with a new video game console. Himes noted:
These restrictions would apply to the President, Vice President, Senate-confirmed members of the executive branch, members of Congress, and the spouses and children of these individuals.
Meanwhile, in a plot twist worthy of a soap opera, the Trump family has dived headfirst into the cryptocurrency pool, splashing around with ventures like World Liberty Financial (WLF). They’ve raised over $550 million and even launched a stablecoin backed by U.S. treasuries. With major stakes and profit shares, they’re offering Trump-related perks to top investors, raising eyebrows and ethical concerns faster than you can say “conflict of interest.”
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2025-06-12 07:57