Topic: [2017-10-27] Kansas Gov. Commission Forbids Bitcoin Donations To Politicians (Read 2292 times)

Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission Forbids Bitcoin Campaign Donations To Politicians

Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission (GEC) enforces campaign financing laws in the state. After a local politician asked the GEC for guidance on the issue last week, its new Executive Director announced that bitcoin is “too secretive” to permit Kansas office holders, potential and incumbent, to accept the world’s most popular cryptocurrency.  

Bitcoin Not in Kansas Anymore

Peter Hancock of Lawrence Journal-World reports “the digital currency known as [bitcoin is] simply too secretive and untraceable to be allowed as a form of campaign contributions in [Kansas’] state and local elections.”

The state’s new GEC Executive Director Mark Skoglund “received a request from a candidate who wanted to know whether it was legal to accept campaign contributions in bitcoins,” Mr. Hancock writes. In turn, Mr. Skoglund, who would not name the candidate, asked the GEC for guidance.

Director Skoglund explains bitcoin is “just alphanumeric characters that exist only online. It is not backed by any government.”

GEC Commissioner Jerome Hellmer fears with bitcoin donations “would be the strong probability of the influencing of local elections by totally unidentifiable lobbyists.” Mr. Hellmer explains, “If you think the Russians affected the presidential elections, just wait.”

Read more: https://news.bitcoin.com/kansas-governmental-ethics-commission-forbids-bitcoin-donations/