Representative Mark Warden Utilizing Bitcoin for Campaign Donations - page 2.

marcus_of_augustus

legendary

Activity: 3920

Merit: 2349

Eadem mutata resurgo

I wonder if "DreadPirateRoberts" qualifies as identifying information? Cheesy

etotheipi, what does your legal guru think?

IMHO, people who think they can shoehorn bitcoin into currently regulatory structures are heading for fail ... it's got more facets than a diamond, trying to cover all the bases is futile ... but go ahead, futile efforts can sometimes be amusing.

Bitcoin Oz

hero member

Activity: 686

Merit: 500

Wat

Quote from: niko on August 12, 2012, 08:22:35 PM

Can anyone here comment on how things work with donations other than dollars? Can you contribute coins? A used car?

Im sure he would probably accept silver and gold coins. Bit hard to donate them over the internet though.

niko

hero member

Activity: 756

Merit: 501

There is more to Bitcoin than bitcoins.

Can anyone here comment on how things work with donations other than dollars? Can you contribute coins? A used car?

Bitcoin Oz

hero member

Activity: 686

Merit: 500

Wat

Quote from: Shadow383 on August 12, 2012, 06:24:40 PM

He just changed the address and somebody's donated 120BTC Shocked

https://blockchain.info/address/1GYKza1DDdBFTwHD1Hr1hYLd5csRGDvqVZ

So what do they do about the info requirements? Cheesy

We dont know if they provided them or not. Perhaps they did.

You cant prevent anyone from sending you coins to a public address you would have to get their info first then give them an address to donate too in that case.

Shadow383

sr. member

Activity: 336

Merit: 250

He just changed the address and somebody's donated 120BTC Shocked

https://blockchain.info/address/1GYKza1DDdBFTwHD1Hr1hYLd5csRGDvqVZ

So what do they do about the info requirements? Cheesy

Bitcoin Oz

hero member

Activity: 686

Merit: 500

Wat

Quote from: error on August 12, 2012, 12:58:55 PM

New Hampshire is not like other places. Here, when you try to get hold of your state rep, you dial the phone number, and you're talking to them. At home.

Usually if we try and contact the rep they put you on the terrorist watchlist

error

hero member

Activity: 588

Merit: 500

New Hampshire is not like other places. Here, when you try to get hold of your state rep, you dial the phone number, and you're talking to them. At home.

Philj

sr. member

Activity: 388

Merit: 250

I donated my 1.337 BTC

proudhon

legendary

Activity: 2198

Merit: 1311

Quote from: etotheipi on August 12, 2012, 10:24:47 AM

FYI,

After chatting with a lawyer friend of mine on this topic, we determined that nothing good will come out of this for Rep Mark Warden unless he starts requesting information from all donors. A "best-faith effort" to keep in line with campaign financing laws will not be sufficient. Even if he gets by it legally, he will be subject to accusations of foreign influence and shady financing practices. As such, I wrote the following email:

Quote

On Sun, Aug 12, 2012 at 12:19 AM, etotheipi wrote:

   Dear Rep. Warden,

   I am inspired by your willingness to try Bitcoin in your fundraising. I just donated 5 BTC with the hopes that you will succeed and help make people aware of Bitcoin.

   However, I wanted to warn you that I see no way for you to embrace Bitcoin this way without high legal risk. I believe it is in your best interest to require identifying information for all Bitcoin donations, lest you be accused of accepting foreign donations and excessive donations.

   The fact that one person can send you 1000 different transactions of $100 each without submitting identification will be the reason that legal challenges to your fundraising will succeed. Best-faith efforts to follow the law will not be satisfactory. I think it is worth the inconvenience to your donors to give Bitcoin every chance to flourish in this environment.

   Similarly, if you do receive donations that you cannot identify within 30 days or exceed the limits, you should send those donations back to one of the sending addresses.

   For that reason, here is my identification for my donation:

   ...

   Thanks for supporting Bitcoin, and the best of luck in your campaign!

Surprisingly, I got a response back in less than 24 hours:

Quote

Alan,

Great advice. I sensed that there would be some unintended and unexpected legal land mines with this and basically I'm leaping before looking.

I will definitely add something to the site that requests the donor's name, address and employer. At my state level, I'm required to ask for the information, but not necessarily confirm it.

Thank you for your donation! I really appreciate your generosity.

I am fascinated by the BTC concept and want to see it succeed.

For liberty... and competing currencies,

Rep. Mark Warden

Nice job etotheipi. This is very cool.

etotheipi

legendary

Activity: 1428

Merit: 1093

Core Armory Developer

FYI,

After chatting with a lawyer friend of mine on this topic, we determined that nothing good will come out of this for Rep Mark Warden unless he starts requesting information from all donors. A "best-faith effort" to keep in line with campaign financing laws will not be sufficient. Even if he gets by it legally, he will be subject to accusations of foreign influence and shady financing practices. As such, I wrote the following email:

Quote

On Sun, Aug 12, 2012 at 12:19 AM, etotheipi wrote:

   Dear Rep. Warden,

   I am inspired by your willingness to try Bitcoin in your fundraising. I just donated 5 BTC with the hopes that you will succeed and help make people aware of Bitcoin.

   However, I wanted to warn you that I see no way for you to embrace Bitcoin this way without high legal risk. I believe it is in your best interest to require identifying information for all Bitcoin donations, lest you be accused of accepting foreign donations and excessive donations.

   The fact that one person can send you 1000 different transactions of $100 each without submitting identification will be the reason that legal challenges to your fundraising will succeed. Best-faith efforts to follow the law will not be satisfactory. I think it is worth the inconvenience to your donors to give Bitcoin every chance to flourish in this environment.

   Similarly, if you do receive donations that you cannot identify within 30 days or exceed the limits, you should send those donations back to one of the sending addresses.

   For that reason, here is my identification for my donation:

   ...

   Thanks for supporting Bitcoin, and the best of luck in your campaign!

Surprisingly, I got a response back in less than 24 hours:

Quote

Alan,

Great advice. I sensed that there would be some unintended and unexpected legal land mines with this and basically I'm leaping before looking.

I will definitely add something to the site that requests the donor's name, address and employer. At my state level, I'm required to ask for the information, but not necessarily confirm it.

Thank you for your donation! I really appreciate your generosity.

I am fascinated by the BTC concept and want to see it succeed.

For liberty... and competing currencies,

Rep. Mark Warden

Vladimir

hero member

Activity: 812

Merit: 1001

-

Bitcoin Magazine will sell like hotcakes in a book store across the street from The Congress. LOL

ShireSilver

sr. member

Activity: 382

Merit: 253

Quote from: Bitcoin Oz on August 12, 2012, 12:34:21 AM

New Hampshire is my favourite US state by far.

Is Mark Warden part of the free state project ?

Yes. He is the porcupine realtor and thus pretty much outed as such. He's also a great activist and a heck of a nice guy.

Bitcoin Oz

hero member

Activity: 686

Merit: 500

Wat

New Hampshire is my favourite US state by far.

Is Mark Warden part of the free state project ?

marcus_of_augustus

legendary

Activity: 3920

Merit: 2349

Eadem mutata resurgo

So someone has now donated 100 BTC which in market values is around USD $1100 ... I wonder if they have to declare who they are now (as per the >$100 rule)?

But if bitcoin is not really money, legally speaking then they probably don't since it is like donating glass beads, or interesting spam mail or some such ... not really money you see Wink

Unless there is a court that is willing to recognize bitcoin as money somewhere ?? .... I didn't think so. Nice can of worms to open up on your campaign trail. Go monetary freedom.

Portnoy

legendary

Activity: 2030

Merit: 1000

My money; Our Bitcoin.

Quote from: bg002h on August 11, 2012, 07:30:50 PM

He may not even realize if someone (possibly an adversary) sends in too much...and if he doesn't notice, any Joe Schmoe can prove he violated campaign funding laws.

This was one of the first things I thought of. His opponents may not even have to contribute much if any if he got enough donations that way.
And if he gets elected they could bring it up as an issue if it was expedient for them...
and didn't Chuck Schumer declare Bitcoin to be something close to evil last year? Wink

It could potentially be enough of scandal to get some interesting main stream news coverage, which is perhaps why a lot of you
bitcoiners, who perhaps feel any public attention is good attention, are tossing a coin or 2 into the pot. Cheesy

Bitcoin Oz

hero member

Activity: 686

Merit: 500

Wat

This is great news even though I dont support politicians

hxtop

hero member

Activity: 1071

Merit: 500

that wonderful news for everyone!
good work!

subject

newbie

Activity: 41

Merit: 0

It looks like someone just donated 100BTC

https://blockchain.info/address/1B39L3wqnbVpRa9oHMWY2F6FsZJJAgJQX6

ydenys

member

Activity: 96

Merit: 10

Well, pretty horrible site/photos, but he’ll get some of my coins for this move despite being a politician. ( below $100 at the moment of donation

)

btctraderr

full member

Activity: 120

Merit: 100

I'm not a US citizen or resident but I'll donate a few BTC- hope this widens bitcoins exposure.

Topic: Representative Mark Warden Utilizing Bitcoin for Campaign Donations - page 2. (Read 11938 times)