Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta and a member of Coinbase’s global advisory council on cryptocurrency, has announced her role in President Joe Biden’s 2024 campaign. According to a report from Ebony on June 26, Lance Bottoms stated that she would join the Biden campaign as a senior adviser. She previously served as Atlanta’s mayor from 2018 to 2022 and became part of Coinbase’s advisory council in April 2024, after concluding an advisory position at the White House in 2023.
The Hill reported on June 27 that Lance Bottoms intends to continue her role with Coinbase throughout President Biden’s campaign, which is expected to culminate in November when U.S. voters head to the polls. The report noted her comment that cryptocurrency stands as a “nonpolitical and unifying issue.”
It remains unclear whether Lance Bottoms will specifically advise the Biden campaign on cryptocurrency matters. Speculations have circulated about President Biden’s consideration of accepting cryptocurrency contributions from supporters and engaging in discussions with lawmakers regarding digital assets. Cointelegraph reached out to the Biden campaign for comment, though no response was received by the time of publication.
On June 26, Lance Bottoms addressed attendees at one of Coinbase’s Stand With Crypto events in Atlanta, coinciding with the upcoming debate between President Biden and Donald Trump. The advocacy group has urged users to contact CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, urging them to prioritize crypto-related topics during the debate. Scheduled for 90 minutes with a studio audience, the debate has drawn significant attention.
“At the Stand With Crypto Atlanta event,” Lance Bottoms remarked, as reported by The Hill, “Atlanta boasts a thriving Black-owned blockchain community. Crypto represents an opportunity for underserved communities, often lacking access to traditional banking, to enhance their financial autonomy.”
Regarding related developments, in February, former U.S. Representative Sean Patrick Maloney announced his resignation from the Coinbase global advisory council, contingent upon President Biden nominating him to represent the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Maloney was among the council’s original members when it was established by Coinbase in May 2023.
Since its inception in 2023, Coinbase’s Stand With Crypto initiative has seen substantial growth, with its political action committee (PAC) now counting over a million supporters. The PAC actively supports or opposes candidates at both state and federal levels. Additionally, Coinbase backs the Fairshake Super PAC, which has launched attack ads against politicians perceived as anti-crypto by Stand With Crypto.
In the realm of electoral influence, crypto-minded voters are already proving to be a disruptive force in the lead-up to the 2024 election, a trend that is expected to persist.