Ask a Pol crypto

By: Matt Laslo
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  • Asking your lawmakers your crypto questions at your US Capitol.

    www.askapolcrypto.com
    Matt Laslo
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Economics Politics & Government
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Episodes
  • EXCLUSIVE — Sen. Hagerty says state component of stablecoin bill key: "It’s really helped us broaden the support for it”

    EXCLUSIVE — Sen. Hagerty says state component of stablecoin bill key: "It’s really helped us broaden the support for it”
    Feb 14 2025
    Who?Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) — Senate Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs Committee What? Hagerty’s new bipartisan stablecoin measure: Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act LISTEN: Laslo & HagertyAsk a Pol asks:Congrats on dropping the first stablecoin bill in this Congress. When it comes to that new measure, how do you see a path forward on this? Key Hagerty:“I think it’s pretty simple. We’re building more bipartisan support for the bill right now here in the Senate. I’ve talked with [House Financial Services Committee Chair] French Hill and his team in the House. I think we’re gonna come together. We’re close already” Sen. Hagerty exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “So I feel very good we can get it done within the first 100 days. The White House loves it, [Trump’s AI and Crypto Czar] David Sacks has been very positive on it, so I think we’ve got really good momentum right now.”Subscribe for FREE to get our latest first! Is your measure’s new state component key? “I think that’s really helped us get — in terms of industry support, it’s really helped us broaden the support for it,” Hagerty says. “Absolutely. We needed a state component to make it all work.” ICYMI — America’s first Crypto Congress in full gearCaught our ear:“David Sacks and I are friends from before,” Hagerty tells us. “We’re working well together on this, and our staffs are working well together.” Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), slightly edited for clarity.TRANSCRIPT I: Sen. Hagerty (2-12-2025)SCENE: Sen. Bill Hagerty’s showing a visitor around the Capitol in the middle of a hectic Senate vote, so Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo gives them space but also slides in for a quick chat. Matt Laslo: “I wanted to say congrats on dropping the first stablecoin bill in this Congress.”Hagerty laughs. Bill Hagerty: “Oh yeah, I feel very good about getting it done.” ML: “What do you — do you think splitting the difference, or solving the problem between states and feds is key?”BH: “Yes. Yeah, absolutely. We needed a state component to make it all work.” ML: “And do you think that’s gonna garner the support you need?”BH: “Yeah, I do.”ML: “I’ll be watching. Thank you!” Please, support our independent crypto journalism. Find us Venmo, PayPal, Cash App — or just buy us a beer!TRANSCRIPT II: Sen. Hagerty (2-13-2025)SCENE: The following day, Laslo sees Sen. Hagerty and an aide heading to a Senate vote when he circles back on their previous mini-interview. Matt Laslo: “Today you don’t have a guest.”Laslo laughs. Bill Hagerty: “How are you doing?”ML: “I felt bad interrupting you with your guest yesterday. But when it comes to your stablecoin measure, how do you see a path forward on this?” BH: “I think it’s pretty simple. We’re building more bipartisan support for the bill right now here in the Senate. I’ve talked with French Hill and his team in the House. I think we’re gonna come together. We’re close already. So I feel very good we can get it done within the first 100 days. The White House loves it, David Sacks has been very positive on it so I think we’ve got really good momentum right now.”ML: “And how essential is it, like…” Laslo slides into the elevator. ML: “I’ll go up with you, if you don’t mind…” ML: “…how essential is it that Congress, because we’ve seen the administration doing a lot and changes at the SEC…?” BH: “The administration — the administration wants to work with us, and I think that’s a critical piece of it. David Sacks and I are friends from before.” ML: “Yeah? Nice.”BH: “We’re working well together on this, and our staffs are working well together.”ML: “We’re getting that bill passed is still essential?”BH: “Uh-huh. I think it’s gonna be — what it’s going to do is provide much needed certainty in the market, and I think it sends an important signal to those as well: We’re going to be dealing responsibly with, you know, in the crypto arena.” ML: “Is that state component the key? Do you think that’s why?”BH: “I think that’s really helped us get — in terms of industry support, it’s really helped us broaden the support for it.”ML: “Preciate ya.”Hagerty enters the Senate chamber to vote. Nicolae Viorel Butler contributed to this article.What should we ask lawmakers this week? Let us know!Content posted at AskaPolcrypto.com is copyrighted. Use our original content to move the story forward. And, please, link to us. Get full access to Ask a Pol crypto at www.askapolcrypto.com/subscribe
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    3 mins
  • Rep. Maxine Waters on crypto: "Let the big billionaires fight it out"

    Rep. Maxine Waters on crypto: "Let the big billionaires fight it out"
    Feb 12 2025

    Who?

    Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) — Ranking Member, House Financial Services Committee

    LISTEN: Laslo & Waters

    Ask a Pol asks:

    I was following that crypto, de-banking hearing — what do you make of this new narrative from the GOP?

    Key Waters:

    “Well, like I said, I wasn’t gonna even deal with it, because they have refused banking to poor people and to working people,” House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Maxine Waters told Ask a Pol.

    Ask a Pol’s FREE! Subscribe to get our latest crypto exclusives from the US Capitol first.

    Caught our ear:

    “Let the big billionaires fight it out,” Waters told us.

    ICYMI — the fight for crypto fairness is real…

    Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), slightly edited for clarity.

    TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Maxine Waters

    SCENE: After leaving a de-banking hearing, Rep. Maxine Waters is hopping an underground tram from the US House Office Buildings to the Capitol when Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo snags this brief exchange with her.

    Matt Laslo: “You’re the one I’m looking for!”

    Maxine Waters: “How you doing?”

    ML: “How are you ma’am?”

    MW: “How are you?”

    What should we ask lawmakers next? Let us know!

    ML: “Living the dream.”

    MW: “Living the dream?”

    ML: “I was following that crypto hearing. How do you — what do you make of this new narrative?”

    MW: “Well, like I said, I wasn’t gonna even deal with it, because they have refused banking to poor people and to working people. Let the big billionaires fight it out.”

    Maxine Waters gets enters tram.

    ML: “Mind if I get on with you?”

    Waters wasn’t interested in a long interview.

    MW: “Let the big billionaires fight it out.”

    Support our independent journalism!

    Find us on Venmo, PayPal, Cash App — or just buy us a beer.

    ML: “Yeah?”

    MW: “Not me. I ain’t in it.”

    Rep. Kweisi Mfume: “And I’m with Maxine!”

    Laslo turns to a smiling Rep. Mfume who was seated in another section of the tram.

    ML: “I know, right? You’re a wise man!”

    Laslo turns back to Waters.

    ML: “Thank you, ma’am.”

    Nicolae Viorel Butler contributed to this report.

    Content posted at AskaPolcrypto.com is copyrighted. Use our original content to move the story forward. And, please, link to us.



    Get full access to Ask a Pol crypto at www.askapolcrypto.com/subscribe
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    1 min
  • GOP wants to restore "partnership type relationship between regulators & businesses" on crypto

    GOP wants to restore "partnership type relationship between regulators & businesses" on crypto
    Feb 10 2025
    Who?Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) — House Financial Services Committee LISTEN: Laslo & LoudermilkAsk a Pol asks:How’d that crypto — de-banking, technically — hearing go?Key Loudermilk:“For while I was in there, it was very interesting. I mean, it’s just a different version of Chokepoint that we saw before, but this time it’s geared toward innovation,” Rep. Barry Loudermilk exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “My biggest issue is what should be a partnership type relationship between regulators and businesses has really turned into an adversarial relationship, and that’s the greater concern I think most everyone has.” Subscribe for FREEE so our latest exclusives hit your inbox first! VIP options available, because this is America dammit… Like many, Loudermilk’s ticked at the SEC “Regulators were not even staying within their lanes. So SEC — whom the Supreme Court has even said, you don’t have anything to do with crypto unless it’s an exchange — they’re regulating crypto,” Loudermilk says. “We got to give immediate relief, and then we may look at it to put some guardrails legislatively.” ICYMI — all systems go...in the House, at least… Caught our ear:“It’s not only hard to plan,” Loudermilk tells us, “but you don’t know at one point, whether you’re in compliance or not, whether you’re gonna be sued the next day or you’re going to end up in jail.” Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), slightly edited for clarity.TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Barry LoudermilkSCENE: Rep. Barry Loudermilk — who just left a House de-banking hearing — is on his way to vote on the floor of the House of Representatives when Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo runs into him in the Capitol’s basement before proceeding to hitch a ride on the Members Only elevator with the congressman. What should we ask lawmakers next? Let us know!Matt Laslo: “Hey. How are you?”Barry Loudermilk: “Good. How you been?” ML: “Not bad. How’d that — how’d that crypto hearing go? Or, I guess de-banking, but…” BL: “Uhm, yeah. For while I was in there, it was very interesting. I mean, it’s just a different version of Chokepoint that we saw before, but this time it was, it’s geared toward innovation. My biggest issue is what should be a partnership type relationship between regulators and businesses has really turned into an adversarial relationship.” ML: “Yeah?”BL: “And that’s the greater concern I think most everyone has.” Loudermilk and Laslo enter an elevator packed with House members heading to vote. ML: “Do you think that changes overnight with the new administration? Or do you think legislation might be necessary?” We can’t do independent crypto journalism in Washington without you.Find us on Venmo, PayPal, Cash App — or just buy us a beer!BL: “Well, that is — it can change. We may need to look at it legislatively so with the next administration that comes in, you don’t swing the pendulum the other way, and that’s one of the things that really hurts a lot of businesses is these sudden changes.”The elevator opens and everyone starts flooding out. BL: “Sudden swings in the regulatory environment they can’t plan for.”ML: “Yeah?”BL: “Because, you know, every four years, you free up certain regulations, and what we saw with the Biden administration is, when they came back, they came back on steroids.”ML: “Yeah?” BL: “And it was — regulators were not even staying within their lanes. So SEC — whom the Supreme Court has even said, you don’t have anything to do with crypto unless it’s an exchange — they’re regulating crypto. And so that’s, we’ve got to — we got to give immediate relief, and then we may look at it to put some guardrails legislatively.” ML: “Because if you’re a crypto firm now — like you guys heard in testimony — you’re suffering from whiplash. It’s just night and day.” BL: “That’s right. Yeah. And it’s difficult. It’s not only hard to plan, but you don’t know at one point, whether you’re in compliance or not, whether you’re gonna be sued the next day or you’re going to end up in jail.” ML: “Yeah?” Loudermilk’s now at one of the entrances to the House floor… BL: “You know., so...”ML: “Yup. Appreciate ya.” The congressman’s heading in to vote. BL: “Alright.” Nicolae Viorel Butler contributed to this report.Content posted at AskaPolcrypto.com is copyrighted. Use our original content to move the story forward. And, please, link to us. Get full access to Ask a Pol crypto at www.askapolcrypto.com/subscribe
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    3 mins

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