Meet the anti-Trump cryptocurrency developer running for Congress in Virginia

The upcoming midterm elections in November are poised to bring a new wave of lawmakers to Washington for the first time — including, potentially, America’s first cryptocurrency developer turned congressman.

Joe Chiaresea long time ago Ethereum The developer launched a campaign Thursday to run as a Democratic House candidate in the D.C. suburb of Virginia. Chiarese plans to run in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, which could be up for grabs on a statewide ballot. Redraw Later that month he left without an incumbent.

Although the digital asset industry has established Great presence In Washington after President Donald Trump returned to power last year, Chiarese represents a new kind of cryptocurrency candidate: someone who is outspokenly critical of the president, and who also has personal experience creating the kinds of decentralized tools that are now hotly debated in Congress.

Virginia, 30, previously worked at cryptocurrency mainstays including Ethereum software giant Consensys (Disclosure: One of Many investors In an editorially independent journal Decryption), a public goods financing protocol for Ethereum, Gitcoin, and the NFT marketplace OpenSea. He argues that cryptocurrencies were originally created, in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, as a tool to stand up to corporate interests and promote workers’ rights.

Chiarisi said technology should return to those roots, rather than stand out linked With the Trump family self-enrichment through various cryptocurrency projects.

“This is the most corrupt administration in American history, and we need to get serious about accountability,” Chiarisi said. Decryption.

The Ethereum developer believes cryptocurrencies should be embraced for use cases that range from financing solar farms with tokenized renewable energy certificates — something Chiarisi himself has done — to allowing Americans to pay doctors privately, on-chain, to ensuring access to all types of medical care.

“I think these are things that most Americans can get behind, and this has nothing to do with coin scams like the one the president launched,” he said.

Chiarisi also objects to the new crop of pro-crypto lawmakers serving Congress in both parties. He argues that such politicians now only claim to support the industry out of a cynical desire to gain the support of – or avoid the wrath of – massive cryptocurrencies. Super PACs Which has sunk hundreds of millions of dollars recently American elections.

“This money could all go to Republicans who are taking away our rights and don’t believe in privacy, or it could go to actual construction companies that want to use new technology to improve the lives of real Americans,” Chiarisi said.

“They just want validation, and they don’t understand the actual good that these technologies can do for our society if they are well regulated,” he added.

If elected, Chiarese said he would drive cryptocurrency policies that benefit small businesses and everyday users, including simpler tax requirements and legal exemptions for popular cryptocurrency instruments. It would also push to expand the types of reserves allowed to back dollar-pegged stablecoins to include municipal bonds that can fund hospitals and schools.

Chiarisi is also a leader of the YIMBY movement in Northern Virginia, and believes that the rapid expansion of America’s housing supply is an urgent necessity. He said the high cost of homeownership is “tearing apart the fabric of our society.”

The cryptocurrency developer’s path to Washington is far from foolproof. Already, several Democratic candidates have been lined up to run in Virginia’s new 7th District, should that come true, including… State SenatorA State representativeand wife From the former governor.

But Schiazzi is the only filter of the group that will currently let you Donate For his campaign in BitcoinEthereum, Vartcoin, US dollars– And even yes Trump coin meme.