Pro-XRP attorney John Deaton has followed through on his promise to support customers of cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase by seeking to become a friend of the court in the exchange’s legal battle against the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
In a filing on April 19 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Deaton requested to represent 4,701 Coinbase customers by appearing as amicus counsel in the ongoing lawsuit that began in June 2023.
“I am admitted or otherwise authorized to practice in this court and I appear in this case as counsel for 4,701 Coinbase Customers,” the filing stated.
During an interview on April 18 with Fox Business journalist Eleanor Terrett, Deaton explained that his motivation for supporting the Coinbase customers was to protect regular individuals who are striving to “build a little wealth” in their lives.
“This isn’t about crypto, this is about freedom. This is about upward mobility, this is about people who want a fighting chance, people who want to build a little wealth. They are not looking to get rich, they’re not crypto bros,” he declared.
Coinbase recently filed an interlocutory appeal in its lawsuit against the SEC shortly after the court rejected its motion to dismiss the entire lawsuit.
The interlocutory appeal centers around the question of whether an investment contract requires something contractual, according to Coinbase’s chief legal officer Paul Grewal.
Deaton has previously filed amicus counsel requests in support of the crypto community. In September 2023, he submitted his notice of appearance as a friend of the court in the LBRY v SEC lawsuit.
However, his most notable filing was in 2021 when he submitted an amicus brief on behalf of over 6,000 XRP holders in the lawsuit between the SEC and Ripple Labs.
In recent news, Deaton has been campaigning for a Senate position, aiming to secure the seat currently held by crypto skeptic Senator Elizabeth Warren.
On April 15, it was reported that Deaton had raised more funds than Senator Warren in the first quarter of this year for his bid to take her Senate spot, with $1.36 million compared to Warren’s $1.09 million.
Just over a month ago, Deaton announced that he had invested $500,000 of his own money into the Senate campaign and called on his followers to help raise an additional $500,000.