Trump’s Crypto Adviser Rejects CLARITY Act Developer Proposal

The dispute centers on whether developers should face criminal liability for crimes committed through software they build.

Law enforcement groups backed by key Democrats have suggested some changes to the CLARITY Act that would make it easier to prosecute some crypto software developers.

However, White House officials still feel like the suggestions made fall short of what they want.

Trump’s Crypto Adviser Rejects Proposal

Trump’s crypto adviser, Patrick Witt, dismissed the proposal, saying claims that they were the result of “productive negotiations” with the White House and Treasury were far from the truth. He added that the administration had made its position clear to Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto for weeks and that the latest revision was “not even close” to meeting its expectations.

A report from Politico shows that two major groups representing U.S. prosecutors have submitted fresh changes to the White House, aiming to break months of deadlock over the CLARITY Act.

“Newest language is the culmination of productive negotiations with law enforcement, the White House, and Treasury, and we feel good about the chance to resolve this issue once and for all,” said Masto in a statement.

The proposal focuses on the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA), with the new language removing provisions that could protect developers from criminal prosecution in some cases. At the heart of the dispute is whether law enforcement should hold crypto developers responsible for crimes committed on the platforms they build.

The Trump administration says that the authorities should protect builders who do not hold customer funds to encourage innovation. On the other side, critics and law enforcement groups disagree, warning that the current language could make it easier for financial crimes to go unchecked.

New York Attorney General Letitia James also shares the sentiment, having recently said that the CLARITY Act could weaken state enforcement against crypto fraud. According to her, this is because the legislation would limit the state’s ability to hold digital asset firms accountable for crimes.

You may also like:

Police Groups and Security Officials Rally Behind Clarity Act

Not everyone seems to be against the latest revision, though. The Fraternal Order of Police, the largest police organization in the U.S., recently dropped its objections and backed the crypto bill after previously raising concerns about the BRCA.

The report also says several other groups have backed the legislation, including the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.

Last month, over 160 former national security, intelligence, and other officials also wrote a letter to the Senate in support of the bill, arguing that it would strengthen efforts to combat illicit finance in the crypto space.