J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photograph
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is not a bitcoin holder, the New York Consultant disclosed on Monday.
- Members of Congress should not maintain or commerce digital belongings, in the identical approach that they need to avoid shares, AOC mentioned on Instagram.
- AOC, who sits on the highly effective Home Monetary Providers Committee, mentioned she desires to do her job as “ethically and impartially” as she will.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is not getting caught up within the craze for cryptocurrencies.
The New York Democrat, who has mentioned it is “absolutely wild” that members of Congress can purchase and commerce shares, believes the identical applies to digital belongings.
In an Instagram story on Monday, Ocasio-Cortez replied to a follower who requested whether or not she invests in bitcoin.
“As a result of we’ve got entry to delicate info and upcoming coverage, I don’t imagine members of Congress ought to maintain/ commerce particular person inventory and I select to not maintain any so I can stay neutral about policymaking,” she mentioned.
“I additionally lengthen that to digital belongings/ currencies (particularly bc I sit on Monetary Providers Committee).”
“So the reply is not any bc I need to do my job as ethically and impartially as I can,” the lawmaker added.
Ocasio-Cortez sits on the highly effective Home Monetary Providers Committee, which suggests she has a say within the oversight of Wall Street and monetary establishments.
aoc/Instagram
The US consultant has already expressed issues about investments made by lawmakers. In August, she mentioned “it should not be authorized” for members of Congress to purchase or promote particular person shares.
These feedback got here after Sen. Rand Paul revealed his spouse’s funding in coronavirus drug-maker Gilead. Paul’s disclosure got here 16 months after the 45-day deadline set underneath the STOCK Act (Cease Buying and selling on Congressional Information Act), which is designed to scale back the specter of insider buying and selling.
Not all politicians see bitcoin investments as elevating moral questions. Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis, a vocal crypto supporter, is a bitcoin holder. In her dwelling state of Wyoming, a number of crypto-friendly laws have been passed lately, together with one which allowed for the primary US fully regulated bank to carry each crypto and fiat currencies.
Bitcoin continued to get better from its weekend sell-off on Tuesday to commerce above $50,000. It was final buying and selling 8% increased at $51,511, however is down 18% previously month, in line with information from CoinMarketCap.
