Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Protect Our Care: Confirmed - Trump's Secret Deals Pad the Pockets of Big Drug Companies While Raising Costs for Seniors
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- Protect Our Care issued the following news:
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CONFIRMED: Trump's Secret Deals Pad the Pockets of Big Drug Companies While Raising Costs for Seniors
September 18, 2026
Washington, D.C. -- This afternoon, President Trump is set to announce another set of sham drug pricing deals that do nothing to lower costs for seniors and working families. Regardless of the numbers he touts, his secret deals with big drug companies protect corporate profits while raising costs for thousands of seniors. In fact, the latest reporting from Endpoints News confirms that CMS has been offering ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- Protect Our Care issued the following news: * * * CONFIRMED: Trump's Secret Deals Pad the Pockets of Big Drug Companies While Raising Costs for Seniors September 18, 2026 Washington, D.C. -- This afternoon, President Trump is set to announce another set of sham drug pricing deals that do nothing to lower costs for seniors and working families. Regardless of the numbers he touts, his secret deals with big drug companies protect corporate profits while raising costs for thousands of seniors. In fact, the latest reporting from Endpoints News confirms that CMS has been offeringdrug companies exemptions from Medicare drug pricing negotiations if they agree to provide additional rebates in Medicaid.
Protect Our Care President Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:
"These deals are nothing but empty rhetoric. It's no coincidence that big drug companies are raking in record-breaking profits, while millions of Americans struggle to afford the medications they need to survive. Instead of actually working to lower costs, Trump has handed out tax breaks to drug companies while cutting backroom deals that give them loopholes to avoid lower prices and protect their profits. Trump is sabotaging negotiations on high-cost drugs used to treat conditions like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis -- the very negotiations Democrats fought to secure in 2022, and that have already saved seniors and taxpayers billions of dollars. Yet again, Trump is prioritizing corporate profits over the health of working families."
Background
* Side-By-Side: Trump vs. Democrats' Record on Lowering Prescription Drug Costs (https://www.protectourcare.org/side-by-side-trump-vs-democrats-record-on-lowering-prescription-drug-costs/)
* Greed Watch: Big Drug Companies' Cries of Outrage Over Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Fail to Line Up With Reality As Democrats Deliver Real Savings to Seniors Nationwide (https://www.protectourcare.org/greed-watch-big-drug-companies-cries-of-outrage-over-medicare-drug-price-negotiation-fail-to-line-up-with-reality-as-democrats-deliver-real-savings-to-seniors-nationwide/)
* Greed Watch: Big Drug Companies Make Record-Breaking Sales While Seniors With Cancer Get Sold Out Thanks to Donald Trump (https://www.protectourcare.org/greed-watch-big-drug-companies-make-record-breaking-sales-while-seniors-with-cancer-get-sold-out-thanks-to-donald-trump/)
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Original text here: https://www.protectourcare.org/confirmed-trumps-secret-deals-pad-the-pockets-of-big-drug-companies-while-raising-costs-for-seniors/
[Category: Health Care]
* * *
CONFIRMED: Trump's Secret Deals Pad the Pockets of Big Drug Companies While Raising Costs for Seniors
September 18, 2026
Washington, D.C. -- This afternoon, President Trump is set to announce another set of sham drug pricing deals that do nothing to lower costs for seniors and working families. Regardless of the numbers he touts, his secret deals with big drug companies protect corporate profits while raising costs for thousands of seniors. In fact, the latest reporting from Endpoints News confirms that CMS has been offering ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- Protect Our Care issued the following news: * * * CONFIRMED: Trump's Secret Deals Pad the Pockets of Big Drug Companies While Raising Costs for Seniors September 18, 2026 Washington, D.C. -- This afternoon, President Trump is set to announce another set of sham drug pricing deals that do nothing to lower costs for seniors and working families. Regardless of the numbers he touts, his secret deals with big drug companies protect corporate profits while raising costs for thousands of seniors. In fact, the latest reporting from Endpoints News confirms that CMS has been offeringdrug companies exemptions from Medicare drug pricing negotiations if they agree to provide additional rebates in Medicaid.
Protect Our Care President Brad Woodhouse released the following statement:
"These deals are nothing but empty rhetoric. It's no coincidence that big drug companies are raking in record-breaking profits, while millions of Americans struggle to afford the medications they need to survive. Instead of actually working to lower costs, Trump has handed out tax breaks to drug companies while cutting backroom deals that give them loopholes to avoid lower prices and protect their profits. Trump is sabotaging negotiations on high-cost drugs used to treat conditions like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis -- the very negotiations Democrats fought to secure in 2022, and that have already saved seniors and taxpayers billions of dollars. Yet again, Trump is prioritizing corporate profits over the health of working families."
Background
* Side-By-Side: Trump vs. Democrats' Record on Lowering Prescription Drug Costs (https://www.protectourcare.org/side-by-side-trump-vs-democrats-record-on-lowering-prescription-drug-costs/)
* Greed Watch: Big Drug Companies' Cries of Outrage Over Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Fail to Line Up With Reality As Democrats Deliver Real Savings to Seniors Nationwide (https://www.protectourcare.org/greed-watch-big-drug-companies-cries-of-outrage-over-medicare-drug-price-negotiation-fail-to-line-up-with-reality-as-democrats-deliver-real-savings-to-seniors-nationwide/)
* Greed Watch: Big Drug Companies Make Record-Breaking Sales While Seniors With Cancer Get Sold Out Thanks to Donald Trump (https://www.protectourcare.org/greed-watch-big-drug-companies-make-record-breaking-sales-while-seniors-with-cancer-get-sold-out-thanks-to-donald-trump/)
* * *
Original text here: https://www.protectourcare.org/confirmed-trumps-secret-deals-pad-the-pockets-of-big-drug-companies-while-raising-costs-for-seniors/
[Category: Health Care]
International Justice Mission: Hug That Spoke Volumes - What Happens When Justice Systems Work
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- International Justice Mission issued the following news:
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A Hug That Spoke Volumes: What Happens When Justice Systems Work
September 18, 2026
Summary: A joyful embrace between a survivor and a government official captured something far bigger than a single rescue. It revealed the transformative impact of a justice system that responds to exploitation, supports survivors' recovery and works to ensure vulnerable people are protected long after the moment of freedom.
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Three hundred survivors gathered for an awareness event in one of the states in which we work in ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- International Justice Mission issued the following news: * * * A Hug That Spoke Volumes: What Happens When Justice Systems Work September 18, 2026 Summary: A joyful embrace between a survivor and a government official captured something far bigger than a single rescue. It revealed the transformative impact of a justice system that responds to exploitation, supports survivors' recovery and works to ensure vulnerable people are protected long after the moment of freedom. - Three hundred survivors gathered for an awareness event in one of the states in which we work inSouth Asia, waiting for the program to begin. Then a government official walked into the room.
Before she could reach her seat, one woman jumped up and wrapped her in a heartfelt hug.
It was a simple moment. But for those who understood the story behind it, the embrace represented something extraordinary.
Just three months earlier, that woman had been trapped in bonded labor, a type of forced labor slavery. Alongside 50 others, she had endured years of exploitation, abuse and deprivation. Now she was free. More than that, she was thriving.
And the person she ran to greet was one of the government leaders who had helped make that transformation possible.
More Than a Rescue
For over six years, 51 people were trapped at a brick kiln in South Asia.
Many had originally taken small loans to meet basic needs. Over time, those debts were manipulated and inflated, leaving families unable to escape. Adults and children were forced to work long days producing bricks, often under threats and violence. Children were denied an education. Families lacked adequate food, healthcare and freedom of movement.
In April 2026, a local partner organization identified the situation and alerted authorities. After an investigation, government officials visited the worksite and uncovered clear signs of bonded labor. Authorities moved quickly to secure the freedom of the workers and initiate legal action against the offenders.
But what happened next is what makes this story remarkable.
Freedom Followed by Restoration
Too often, rescue is viewed as the finish line. In reality, it is only the beginning.
After securing the survivors' freedom, local authorities coordinated a wide range of support services designed to help them rebuild their lives. Survivors received medical care, counselling, food, clothing and assistance gaining access to government benefits. Children were enrolled in school. Families received support to establish stable livelihoods and pursue a safer future.
One survivor reflected on the care they received after their rescue:
"We have never eaten curry in our lives. After coming here the government has provided us with milk, tea, rice, curry, yogurt and many other varieties of food."
For children who had spent years working instead of learning and playing, officials created opportunities simply to experience childhood again. Families who had lived without security were given new reasons to hope.
The impact extended far beyond immediate relief. It helped survivors begin rebuilding confidence, dignity and independence.
When Systems Work, Lives Change
The most powerful part of this story is not the rescue itself.
It is the evidence of a justice system working together to protect vulnerable people.
Government officials across multiple agencies collaborated throughout the process. Legal authorities, district administration, health services and other departments coordinated their efforts to identify victims, secure their freedom, provide rehabilitation support and help survivors move toward long-term recovery.
One government official involved in the case reflected on this collective effort:
"Although it may have appeared that I was the one leading the extraordinary rescue, I see it instead as using the responsibility and authority entrusted to me to its fullest. More importantly, the district administration, revenue department, labor department, police, and civil society organizations all came together in an exceptional way to support both the rescue and rehabilitation. It was this collective, convergent effort that truly brought about the transformation in people's lives."
This is what justice system strengthening looks like in practice.
It is not simply responding to a single crisis. It is building the capacity, coordination and commitment of public institutions so that vulnerable people can access protection when they need it.
A Sign of Lasting Change
Three months after the rescue, survivors gathered once again, this time for a legal awareness event and the formation of a local survivor network. They learned about their rights, connected with other survivors and took steps toward becoming leaders in their own communities.
That is when the now-famous hug happened.
For many survivors, government institutions have long been distant or intimidating. Yet this survivor felt safe enough to greet a public official not with fear, but with trust.
That moment tells a larger story than words alone can convey.
A woman who once lived under exploitation now stood in freedom.
A government system that once may have felt inaccessible had demonstrated that it could protect and serve people who are vulnerable.
And a community of survivors was beginning to believe that justice was possible.
Why This Matters
At IJM, we believe lasting change happens when justice systems are strengthened to protect people from violence and exploitation.
This story from South Asia demonstrates what is possible when authorities are equipped and motivated to respond effectively, coordinate across agencies and care for survivors beyond the moment of rescue.
The most encouraging outcome is not only that 51 people were freed.
It is that survivors experienced a justice system that worked on their behalf, helping them move from exploitation to restoration and from vulnerability to hope.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.ijm.org/news/a-hug-that-spoke-volumes-what-happens-when-justice-systems-work
[Category: Sociological]
* * *
A Hug That Spoke Volumes: What Happens When Justice Systems Work
September 18, 2026
Summary: A joyful embrace between a survivor and a government official captured something far bigger than a single rescue. It revealed the transformative impact of a justice system that responds to exploitation, supports survivors' recovery and works to ensure vulnerable people are protected long after the moment of freedom.
-
Three hundred survivors gathered for an awareness event in one of the states in which we work in ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 -- International Justice Mission issued the following news: * * * A Hug That Spoke Volumes: What Happens When Justice Systems Work September 18, 2026 Summary: A joyful embrace between a survivor and a government official captured something far bigger than a single rescue. It revealed the transformative impact of a justice system that responds to exploitation, supports survivors' recovery and works to ensure vulnerable people are protected long after the moment of freedom. - Three hundred survivors gathered for an awareness event in one of the states in which we work inSouth Asia, waiting for the program to begin. Then a government official walked into the room.
Before she could reach her seat, one woman jumped up and wrapped her in a heartfelt hug.
It was a simple moment. But for those who understood the story behind it, the embrace represented something extraordinary.
Just three months earlier, that woman had been trapped in bonded labor, a type of forced labor slavery. Alongside 50 others, she had endured years of exploitation, abuse and deprivation. Now she was free. More than that, she was thriving.
And the person she ran to greet was one of the government leaders who had helped make that transformation possible.
More Than a Rescue
For over six years, 51 people were trapped at a brick kiln in South Asia.
Many had originally taken small loans to meet basic needs. Over time, those debts were manipulated and inflated, leaving families unable to escape. Adults and children were forced to work long days producing bricks, often under threats and violence. Children were denied an education. Families lacked adequate food, healthcare and freedom of movement.
In April 2026, a local partner organization identified the situation and alerted authorities. After an investigation, government officials visited the worksite and uncovered clear signs of bonded labor. Authorities moved quickly to secure the freedom of the workers and initiate legal action against the offenders.
But what happened next is what makes this story remarkable.
Freedom Followed by Restoration
Too often, rescue is viewed as the finish line. In reality, it is only the beginning.
After securing the survivors' freedom, local authorities coordinated a wide range of support services designed to help them rebuild their lives. Survivors received medical care, counselling, food, clothing and assistance gaining access to government benefits. Children were enrolled in school. Families received support to establish stable livelihoods and pursue a safer future.
One survivor reflected on the care they received after their rescue:
"We have never eaten curry in our lives. After coming here the government has provided us with milk, tea, rice, curry, yogurt and many other varieties of food."
For children who had spent years working instead of learning and playing, officials created opportunities simply to experience childhood again. Families who had lived without security were given new reasons to hope.
The impact extended far beyond immediate relief. It helped survivors begin rebuilding confidence, dignity and independence.
When Systems Work, Lives Change
The most powerful part of this story is not the rescue itself.
It is the evidence of a justice system working together to protect vulnerable people.
Government officials across multiple agencies collaborated throughout the process. Legal authorities, district administration, health services and other departments coordinated their efforts to identify victims, secure their freedom, provide rehabilitation support and help survivors move toward long-term recovery.
One government official involved in the case reflected on this collective effort:
"Although it may have appeared that I was the one leading the extraordinary rescue, I see it instead as using the responsibility and authority entrusted to me to its fullest. More importantly, the district administration, revenue department, labor department, police, and civil society organizations all came together in an exceptional way to support both the rescue and rehabilitation. It was this collective, convergent effort that truly brought about the transformation in people's lives."
This is what justice system strengthening looks like in practice.
It is not simply responding to a single crisis. It is building the capacity, coordination and commitment of public institutions so that vulnerable people can access protection when they need it.
A Sign of Lasting Change
Three months after the rescue, survivors gathered once again, this time for a legal awareness event and the formation of a local survivor network. They learned about their rights, connected with other survivors and took steps toward becoming leaders in their own communities.
That is when the now-famous hug happened.
For many survivors, government institutions have long been distant or intimidating. Yet this survivor felt safe enough to greet a public official not with fear, but with trust.
That moment tells a larger story than words alone can convey.
A woman who once lived under exploitation now stood in freedom.
A government system that once may have felt inaccessible had demonstrated that it could protect and serve people who are vulnerable.
And a community of survivors was beginning to believe that justice was possible.
Why This Matters
At IJM, we believe lasting change happens when justice systems are strengthened to protect people from violence and exploitation.
This story from South Asia demonstrates what is possible when authorities are equipped and motivated to respond effectively, coordinate across agencies and care for survivors beyond the moment of rescue.
The most encouraging outcome is not only that 51 people were freed.
It is that survivors experienced a justice system that worked on their behalf, helping them move from exploitation to restoration and from vulnerability to hope.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.ijm.org/news/a-hug-that-spoke-volumes-what-happens-when-justice-systems-work
[Category: Sociological]
Growth Energy Applauds Enactment of California E15 Bill
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 [Category: Energy] -- Growth Energy, a trade association that represents ethanol producers, issued the following news release:
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Growth Energy Applauds Enactment of California E15 Bill
*
SACRAMENTO, CALIF.-Growth Energy, the nation's largest biofuel trade association, welcomed California Governor Gavin Newsom's signature today on Senate Bill 795 (the "California E15 bill"). The legislation orders the state fire marshal's office to implement regulations that ultimately will give Californians access to E15, a more affordable fuel option made with 15% ethanol that sells ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 [Category: Energy] -- Growth Energy, a trade association that represents ethanol producers, issued the following news release: * * * Growth Energy Applauds Enactment of California E15 Bill * SACRAMENTO, CALIF.-Growth Energy, the nation's largest biofuel trade association, welcomed California Governor Gavin Newsom's signature today on Senate Bill 795 (the "California E15 bill"). The legislation orders the state fire marshal's office to implement regulations that ultimately will give Californians access to E15, a more affordable fuel option made with 15% ethanol that sellsfor $0.30 less per gallon on average and can be used in 96% of all light-duty vehicles on the road today.
"E15 saves consumers money and California is home to some of the nation's highest gas prices. This step is a big win for drivers in the Golden State," said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. "With SB 795 now signed into law, Californians are a huge step closer to more affordable fuel options. We thank Governor Newsom for his leadership and support, which were vital to this effort to clear the final regulatory hurdles that were restricting Californians' access to this lower-cost, lower-carbon fuel choice.
"Our industry is eager to help drivers access E15 and its benefits. We look forward to working with state regulators and retailers around the state to make this happen as quickly as possible," she added.
SB 795 passed the California legislature earlier this year. Specifically, the California E15 bill instructs the state fire marshal's office to finalize the rules necessary to fully implement Assembly Bill 30 (AB 30). AB 30 unanimously passed the state legislature last year and legalized the sale of E15 in California until the California Air Resources Board (CARB) completes a permanent regulation for E15 approval. CARB was directed to complete this permanent regulation in the 2025-2026 state budget. CARB is expected to vote on this regulation during their September 24 board meeting.
***
Original text here: https://growthenergy.org/2026/09/19/california-e15-bill/
* * *
Growth Energy Applauds Enactment of California E15 Bill
*
SACRAMENTO, CALIF.-Growth Energy, the nation's largest biofuel trade association, welcomed California Governor Gavin Newsom's signature today on Senate Bill 795 (the "California E15 bill"). The legislation orders the state fire marshal's office to implement regulations that ultimately will give Californians access to E15, a more affordable fuel option made with 15% ethanol that sells ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 [Category: Energy] -- Growth Energy, a trade association that represents ethanol producers, issued the following news release: * * * Growth Energy Applauds Enactment of California E15 Bill * SACRAMENTO, CALIF.-Growth Energy, the nation's largest biofuel trade association, welcomed California Governor Gavin Newsom's signature today on Senate Bill 795 (the "California E15 bill"). The legislation orders the state fire marshal's office to implement regulations that ultimately will give Californians access to E15, a more affordable fuel option made with 15% ethanol that sellsfor $0.30 less per gallon on average and can be used in 96% of all light-duty vehicles on the road today.
"E15 saves consumers money and California is home to some of the nation's highest gas prices. This step is a big win for drivers in the Golden State," said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. "With SB 795 now signed into law, Californians are a huge step closer to more affordable fuel options. We thank Governor Newsom for his leadership and support, which were vital to this effort to clear the final regulatory hurdles that were restricting Californians' access to this lower-cost, lower-carbon fuel choice.
"Our industry is eager to help drivers access E15 and its benefits. We look forward to working with state regulators and retailers around the state to make this happen as quickly as possible," she added.
SB 795 passed the California legislature earlier this year. Specifically, the California E15 bill instructs the state fire marshal's office to finalize the rules necessary to fully implement Assembly Bill 30 (AB 30). AB 30 unanimously passed the state legislature last year and legalized the sale of E15 in California until the California Air Resources Board (CARB) completes a permanent regulation for E15 approval. CARB was directed to complete this permanent regulation in the 2025-2026 state budget. CARB is expected to vote on this regulation during their September 24 board meeting.
***
Original text here: https://growthenergy.org/2026/09/19/california-e15-bill/
FFRF Action Fund: 'Secularist' Hemant Mehta Keeps His Finger on the Freethought Pulse
MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 19 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news:
* * *
'Secularist' Hemant Mehta keeps his finger on the freethought pulse
September 17, 2026
The FFRF Action Fund is naming Hemant Mehta, better known to legions of readers as the "Friendly Atheist," as its "Secularist of the Week."
Hemant has been chosen for his extraordinary contributions to the secular movement and, in particular, ... Show Full Article MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 19 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news: * * * 'Secularist' Hemant Mehta keeps his finger on the freethought pulse September 17, 2026 The FFRF Action Fund is naming Hemant Mehta, better known to legions of readers as the "Friendly Atheist," as its "Secularist of the Week." Hemant has been chosen for his extraordinary contributions to the secular movement and, in particular,his painstaking annual effort to document openly nonreligious candidates for public office. For years, Hemant has functioned as something close to the 24-hour news service of atheism and secularism. If a school board is pushing religion into classrooms, a politician is invoking God to justify public policy, a court hands down an important church-state ruling or a freethinker somewhere does something worth celebrating, there is a good chance Hemant has already written about it.
That relentless chronicling of the secular movement is itself an immense contribution. But one of Hemant's most valuable recurring projects is his effort to answer a deceptively difficult question: How many openly nonreligious Americans are actually running for office?
This month, Hemant published his latest annual compilation of openly nonreligious candidates seeking state and federal office in 2026. Using information from the Center for Freethought Equality PAC, along with his own readers and research, Hemant has identified nearly 200 candidates who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics, humanists, nonreligious or with other labels outside organized religion. He continues updating the list as candidates and readers provide additional information.
The numbers are striking. Hemant reports that a record 12 openly nonreligious candidates are running for Congress, while more than 70 are seeking re-election to state legislative seats. His database documents candidates across the country and demonstrates something that would be easy to miss without someone doing the tedious work of finding, verifying and compiling them: Openly nonreligious Americans are already participating in public life at every level.
That visibility matters.
Nonreligious Americans remain significantly underrepresented in elected office compared with their share of the American population. And stigma remains a barrier. Gallup polling has found that only about six in 10 Americans say they would vote for a generally well-qualified atheist presidential candidate from their own party.
A spreadsheet may not sound revolutionary. But you cannot understand representation if nobody bothers to document it. Every year, Hemant does exactly that. His work creates a historical record of nonreligious political representation, makes otherwise scattered information accessible to journalists and researchers, and provides a tangible measure of how openly secular Americans are participating in American democracy.
It also connects directly to a cause Hemant has championed for years.
When FFRF honored Hemant with its "Nothing Fails Like Prayer Award" at its 2019 national convention, he devoted much of his acceptance speech to the question of atheists in politics. He argued that atheist politicians should not govern on behalf of atheists. Quite the opposite. He emphasized the symbolic importance of nonreligious Americans simply being visible in public office and demonstrating that atheism need not disqualify anyone from public service.
Seven years later, his annual candidate project is documenting that change in real time.
Hemant's contributions to freethought extend far beyond this spreadsheet. Raised in a Jain family, he became an atheist as a teenager and later founded the first nonreligious student organization at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He taught high school mathematics before eventually devoting himself full time to secular activism and writing. His books include "I Sold My Soul on eBay" and "The Young Atheist's Survival Guide," and he has edited "Queer Disbelief: Why LGBTQ Equality Is an Atheist Issue." He has also served in leadership roles with the Secular Student Alliance and Foundation Beyond Belief.
But through "Friendly Atheist," Hemant has become indispensable daily reading for much of the secular movement. His site continuously chronicles the intersection of religion, government and atheism -- often drawing attention to local stories long before they receive broader notice.
The secular movement needs advocates, attorneys, organizers and elected officials. It also needs people willing to chronicle what is happening, day after day, year after year, so that important developments do not go unnoticed. Hemant Mehta has been doing that work for decades. Through his annual accounting of openly nonreligious candidates, he is ensuring that an important chapter in the growing visibility of secular Americans in public life is documented as it happens.
For his tireless work as the Friendly Atheist and his diligent efforts to document openly nonreligious representation in American politics, Hemant Mehta is the FFRF Action Fund's "Secularist of the Week."
* * *
FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
* * *
Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/secularist-hemant-mehta-keeps-his-finger-on-the-freethought-pulse/
[Category: Sociological]
* * *
'Secularist' Hemant Mehta keeps his finger on the freethought pulse
September 17, 2026
The FFRF Action Fund is naming Hemant Mehta, better known to legions of readers as the "Friendly Atheist," as its "Secularist of the Week."
Hemant has been chosen for his extraordinary contributions to the secular movement and, in particular, ... Show Full Article MADISON, Wisconsin, Sept. 19 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news: * * * 'Secularist' Hemant Mehta keeps his finger on the freethought pulse September 17, 2026 The FFRF Action Fund is naming Hemant Mehta, better known to legions of readers as the "Friendly Atheist," as its "Secularist of the Week." Hemant has been chosen for his extraordinary contributions to the secular movement and, in particular,his painstaking annual effort to document openly nonreligious candidates for public office. For years, Hemant has functioned as something close to the 24-hour news service of atheism and secularism. If a school board is pushing religion into classrooms, a politician is invoking God to justify public policy, a court hands down an important church-state ruling or a freethinker somewhere does something worth celebrating, there is a good chance Hemant has already written about it.
That relentless chronicling of the secular movement is itself an immense contribution. But one of Hemant's most valuable recurring projects is his effort to answer a deceptively difficult question: How many openly nonreligious Americans are actually running for office?
This month, Hemant published his latest annual compilation of openly nonreligious candidates seeking state and federal office in 2026. Using information from the Center for Freethought Equality PAC, along with his own readers and research, Hemant has identified nearly 200 candidates who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics, humanists, nonreligious or with other labels outside organized religion. He continues updating the list as candidates and readers provide additional information.
The numbers are striking. Hemant reports that a record 12 openly nonreligious candidates are running for Congress, while more than 70 are seeking re-election to state legislative seats. His database documents candidates across the country and demonstrates something that would be easy to miss without someone doing the tedious work of finding, verifying and compiling them: Openly nonreligious Americans are already participating in public life at every level.
That visibility matters.
Nonreligious Americans remain significantly underrepresented in elected office compared with their share of the American population. And stigma remains a barrier. Gallup polling has found that only about six in 10 Americans say they would vote for a generally well-qualified atheist presidential candidate from their own party.
A spreadsheet may not sound revolutionary. But you cannot understand representation if nobody bothers to document it. Every year, Hemant does exactly that. His work creates a historical record of nonreligious political representation, makes otherwise scattered information accessible to journalists and researchers, and provides a tangible measure of how openly secular Americans are participating in American democracy.
It also connects directly to a cause Hemant has championed for years.
When FFRF honored Hemant with its "Nothing Fails Like Prayer Award" at its 2019 national convention, he devoted much of his acceptance speech to the question of atheists in politics. He argued that atheist politicians should not govern on behalf of atheists. Quite the opposite. He emphasized the symbolic importance of nonreligious Americans simply being visible in public office and demonstrating that atheism need not disqualify anyone from public service.
Seven years later, his annual candidate project is documenting that change in real time.
Hemant's contributions to freethought extend far beyond this spreadsheet. Raised in a Jain family, he became an atheist as a teenager and later founded the first nonreligious student organization at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He taught high school mathematics before eventually devoting himself full time to secular activism and writing. His books include "I Sold My Soul on eBay" and "The Young Atheist's Survival Guide," and he has edited "Queer Disbelief: Why LGBTQ Equality Is an Atheist Issue." He has also served in leadership roles with the Secular Student Alliance and Foundation Beyond Belief.
But through "Friendly Atheist," Hemant has become indispensable daily reading for much of the secular movement. His site continuously chronicles the intersection of religion, government and atheism -- often drawing attention to local stories long before they receive broader notice.
The secular movement needs advocates, attorneys, organizers and elected officials. It also needs people willing to chronicle what is happening, day after day, year after year, so that important developments do not go unnoticed. Hemant Mehta has been doing that work for decades. Through his annual accounting of openly nonreligious candidates, he is ensuring that an important chapter in the growing visibility of secular Americans in public life is documented as it happens.
For his tireless work as the Friendly Atheist and his diligent efforts to document openly nonreligious representation in American politics, Hemant Mehta is the FFRF Action Fund's "Secularist of the Week."
* * *
FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
* * *
Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/secularist-hemant-mehta-keeps-his-finger-on-the-freethought-pulse/
[Category: Sociological]
Environmental Defense Fund: Virginia Governor Spanberger Signs Data Center Accountability Framework
NEW YORK, Sept. 19 -- The Environmental Defense Fund issued the following news release:
* * *
Virginia Governor Spanberger signs data center accountability framework
EDF Statement from Emily Steinhilber, Virginia State Director
September 18, 2026
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(Richmond, Virginia) Today, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger announced a new framework to ensure accountability and community safeguards for data center development. Virginia's Data Center Accountability Framework will institute five pillars that data center developers and operators must adhere to, focused on increasing transparency, strengthening ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Sept. 19 -- The Environmental Defense Fund issued the following news release: * * * Virginia Governor Spanberger signs data center accountability framework EDF Statement from Emily Steinhilber, Virginia State Director September 18, 2026 - (Richmond, Virginia) Today, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger announced a new framework to ensure accountability and community safeguards for data center development. Virginia's Data Center Accountability Framework will institute five pillars that data center developers and operators must adhere to, focused on increasing transparency, strengtheningenvironmental protections, lowering energy costs, bolstering clean energy and grid reliability, protecting water resources and delivering quality, local jobs to Virginia workers.
"As the global hub for data center development, Virginia has a huge opportunity to lead the way on accountability," said Emily Steinhilber, Virginia State Director at Environmental Defense Fund.
"This framework outlines a path forward to protect communities from bearing pollution and costs from data centers, while leveraging this growth to catalyze cleaner, more affordable and reliable power.
"The work ahead to translate this framework into real policies matters enormously. We look forward to working with Governor Spanberger and lawmakers across the Commonwealth to advance policies that curb costs, strengthen and modernize the grid, advance water stewardship and deliver lasting benefits to communities."
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With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org
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Original text here: https://www.edf.org/media/virginia-governor-spanberger-signs-data-center-accountability-framework
[Category: Environment]
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Virginia Governor Spanberger signs data center accountability framework
EDF Statement from Emily Steinhilber, Virginia State Director
September 18, 2026
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(Richmond, Virginia) Today, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger announced a new framework to ensure accountability and community safeguards for data center development. Virginia's Data Center Accountability Framework will institute five pillars that data center developers and operators must adhere to, focused on increasing transparency, strengthening ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Sept. 19 -- The Environmental Defense Fund issued the following news release: * * * Virginia Governor Spanberger signs data center accountability framework EDF Statement from Emily Steinhilber, Virginia State Director September 18, 2026 - (Richmond, Virginia) Today, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger announced a new framework to ensure accountability and community safeguards for data center development. Virginia's Data Center Accountability Framework will institute five pillars that data center developers and operators must adhere to, focused on increasing transparency, strengtheningenvironmental protections, lowering energy costs, bolstering clean energy and grid reliability, protecting water resources and delivering quality, local jobs to Virginia workers.
"As the global hub for data center development, Virginia has a huge opportunity to lead the way on accountability," said Emily Steinhilber, Virginia State Director at Environmental Defense Fund.
"This framework outlines a path forward to protect communities from bearing pollution and costs from data centers, while leveraging this growth to catalyze cleaner, more affordable and reliable power.
"The work ahead to translate this framework into real policies matters enormously. We look forward to working with Governor Spanberger and lawmakers across the Commonwealth to advance policies that curb costs, strengthen and modernize the grid, advance water stewardship and deliver lasting benefits to communities."
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With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org
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Original text here: https://www.edf.org/media/virginia-governor-spanberger-signs-data-center-accountability-framework
[Category: Environment]
Environmental Defense Fund: Colorado Becomes First State to Fully Adopt the 2024 EPA Methane Standards
NEW YORK, Sept. 19 -- The Environmental Defense Fund issued the following news release:
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Colorado becomes first state to fully adopt the 2024 EPA methane standards
Rulemaking completes Colorado's adoption of federal methane protections and reinforces state leadership amid federal rollback efforts.
September 18, 2026
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(BOULDER, CO) - Today Colorado became the first state to fully adopt existing source methane standards for oil and gas operations under the 2024 EPA methane rule.
Colorado's Air Quality Control Commission voted unanimously to improve the state's requirements for emissions ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Sept. 19 -- The Environmental Defense Fund issued the following news release: * * * Colorado becomes first state to fully adopt the 2024 EPA methane standards Rulemaking completes Colorado's adoption of federal methane protections and reinforces state leadership amid federal rollback efforts. September 18, 2026 - (BOULDER, CO) - Today Colorado became the first state to fully adopt existing source methane standards for oil and gas operations under the 2024 EPA methane rule. Colorado's Air Quality Control Commission voted unanimously to improve the state's requirements for emissionscontrol equipment associated with oil and gas production and align with the Energy & Carbon Management Commission's prohibition of routine venting and flaring. This is the third and final rulemaking to incorporate federal standards into state regulation, completing a journey that began in February 2025.
EDF analysis projects that full implementation of the 2024 EPA methane standards in Colorado through 2038 would result in approximately 30,000 metric tons of methane reductions each year, which has the equivalent climate impact of taking a half-million cars off the road and preventing enough natural gas waste to meet the heating and cooking needs of over 20,000 homes.
"Colorado leaders and regulators made a commitment to adopt the 2024 EPA methane protections in full, and today they kept that commitment," said Nini Gu, Senior Regulatory & Legislative Manager at Environmental Defense Fund. "At a time when federal methane protections are under threat, Colorado is showing that states can move forward, cut pollution and protect communities with strong, evidence-based rules."
The additions made today to the state's air quality rules address closed vent systems, covers, and enclosed combustion devices. Methane emissions from this equipment will be mitigated with more effective design and deployment and improved monitoring. The AQCC went beyond baseline federal standards by extending requirements for closed vent systems and covers to all storage tanks falling under Regulation 7, which captures more storage tanks than the EPA does. Similarly, AQCC adopted improved monitoring requirements for all enclosed combustion devices, not just those covered by the 2024 EPA methane rule.
This rulemaking is a notable contrast to environmental rollbacks taking place at the federal level and sends an important signal that energy-producing states like Colorado can continue moving forward to reduce methane pollution and protect their air quality.
The AQCC adopted portions of the EPA methane rule in two previous updates to Regulation 7, the state's primary regulation governing oil and gas emissions: a February 2025 update that phased out natural-gas emitting devices and a February 2026 update to require instrument-based leak detection and repair at all well sites regardless of production level.
Colorado's methane rulemakings are important in that they apply to all well production facilities regardless of production level. The elimination of all natural gas-emitting pneumatic devices and the use of instrument-based leak detection and repair standards will be particularly important to reduce emissions from low-producing well sites.
Recent MethaneSAT satellite data analysis found that these types of wells are the largest source of methane pollution across U.S. oil and gas production, responsible for about half the nation's methane emissions despite contributing to less than 5 percent of total production.
Today's rulemaking was the third and final phase of the process. All three rulemakings resulted in unanimous votes by AQCC Commissioners. Colorado's Regulation 7 standards now meet or exceed federal methane standards.
Background:
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas responsible for about 30% of the warming our planet is experiencing today. Reducing methane pollution is the fastest way to slow down the rate of climate change which is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as droughts, tornadoes, and wildfires.
Earlier this summer, a Colorado School of Mines researcher found that western drought is increasingly linked to climate change, and according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Colorado is still experiencing "exceptional" levels of drought.
Colorado has established itself as a national leader on oil and gas methane emissions reductions starting in 2014 when it became the first state in the nation to adopt oil and gas methane regulations. Colorado has continued to innovate and strengthen oil and gas methane regulation over the years since that initial rulemaking.
A 2025 EDF analysis of satellite data found that Colorado reduced methane emissions from its oil and gas sector by nearly 70% between 2010 and 2017.
Cleaner production is important for mitigating Colorado's ozone problem, as ozone-forming volatile organic compounds are released alongside methane during oil and gas operations. Breathing ozone can irritate the lungs, reduce lung function, trigger asthma attacks and worsen cardiovascular and respiratory disease.
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With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org
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Original text here: https://www.edf.org/media/colorado-becomes-first-state-fully-adopt-2024-epa-methane-standards
[Category: Environment]
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Colorado becomes first state to fully adopt the 2024 EPA methane standards
Rulemaking completes Colorado's adoption of federal methane protections and reinforces state leadership amid federal rollback efforts.
September 18, 2026
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(BOULDER, CO) - Today Colorado became the first state to fully adopt existing source methane standards for oil and gas operations under the 2024 EPA methane rule.
Colorado's Air Quality Control Commission voted unanimously to improve the state's requirements for emissions ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Sept. 19 -- The Environmental Defense Fund issued the following news release: * * * Colorado becomes first state to fully adopt the 2024 EPA methane standards Rulemaking completes Colorado's adoption of federal methane protections and reinforces state leadership amid federal rollback efforts. September 18, 2026 - (BOULDER, CO) - Today Colorado became the first state to fully adopt existing source methane standards for oil and gas operations under the 2024 EPA methane rule. Colorado's Air Quality Control Commission voted unanimously to improve the state's requirements for emissionscontrol equipment associated with oil and gas production and align with the Energy & Carbon Management Commission's prohibition of routine venting and flaring. This is the third and final rulemaking to incorporate federal standards into state regulation, completing a journey that began in February 2025.
EDF analysis projects that full implementation of the 2024 EPA methane standards in Colorado through 2038 would result in approximately 30,000 metric tons of methane reductions each year, which has the equivalent climate impact of taking a half-million cars off the road and preventing enough natural gas waste to meet the heating and cooking needs of over 20,000 homes.
"Colorado leaders and regulators made a commitment to adopt the 2024 EPA methane protections in full, and today they kept that commitment," said Nini Gu, Senior Regulatory & Legislative Manager at Environmental Defense Fund. "At a time when federal methane protections are under threat, Colorado is showing that states can move forward, cut pollution and protect communities with strong, evidence-based rules."
The additions made today to the state's air quality rules address closed vent systems, covers, and enclosed combustion devices. Methane emissions from this equipment will be mitigated with more effective design and deployment and improved monitoring. The AQCC went beyond baseline federal standards by extending requirements for closed vent systems and covers to all storage tanks falling under Regulation 7, which captures more storage tanks than the EPA does. Similarly, AQCC adopted improved monitoring requirements for all enclosed combustion devices, not just those covered by the 2024 EPA methane rule.
This rulemaking is a notable contrast to environmental rollbacks taking place at the federal level and sends an important signal that energy-producing states like Colorado can continue moving forward to reduce methane pollution and protect their air quality.
The AQCC adopted portions of the EPA methane rule in two previous updates to Regulation 7, the state's primary regulation governing oil and gas emissions: a February 2025 update that phased out natural-gas emitting devices and a February 2026 update to require instrument-based leak detection and repair at all well sites regardless of production level.
Colorado's methane rulemakings are important in that they apply to all well production facilities regardless of production level. The elimination of all natural gas-emitting pneumatic devices and the use of instrument-based leak detection and repair standards will be particularly important to reduce emissions from low-producing well sites.
Recent MethaneSAT satellite data analysis found that these types of wells are the largest source of methane pollution across U.S. oil and gas production, responsible for about half the nation's methane emissions despite contributing to less than 5 percent of total production.
Today's rulemaking was the third and final phase of the process. All three rulemakings resulted in unanimous votes by AQCC Commissioners. Colorado's Regulation 7 standards now meet or exceed federal methane standards.
Background:
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas responsible for about 30% of the warming our planet is experiencing today. Reducing methane pollution is the fastest way to slow down the rate of climate change which is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as droughts, tornadoes, and wildfires.
Earlier this summer, a Colorado School of Mines researcher found that western drought is increasingly linked to climate change, and according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Colorado is still experiencing "exceptional" levels of drought.
Colorado has established itself as a national leader on oil and gas methane emissions reductions starting in 2014 when it became the first state in the nation to adopt oil and gas methane regulations. Colorado has continued to innovate and strengthen oil and gas methane regulation over the years since that initial rulemaking.
A 2025 EDF analysis of satellite data found that Colorado reduced methane emissions from its oil and gas sector by nearly 70% between 2010 and 2017.
Cleaner production is important for mitigating Colorado's ozone problem, as ozone-forming volatile organic compounds are released alongside methane during oil and gas operations. Breathing ozone can irritate the lungs, reduce lung function, trigger asthma attacks and worsen cardiovascular and respiratory disease.
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With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org
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Original text here: https://www.edf.org/media/colorado-becomes-first-state-fully-adopt-2024-epa-methane-standards
[Category: Environment]
Better Markets Analysis: Standing Up to the Lawless Crypto Industry
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (TNSLrpt) -- Better Markets, an organization that says it promotes pro-market, pro-business and pro-growth policies to help build a better financial system, issued the following analysis:
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September 17, 2026
Standing up to the Lawless Crypto Industry
For years now, too many leaders on Wall Street and Washington either looked the other way or unquestioningly supported the crypto industry as it worked relentlessly to infiltrate our financial system and rewrite the laws and rules to benefit their special interests. Tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributions ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (TNSLrpt) -- Better Markets, an organization that says it promotes pro-market, pro-business and pro-growth policies to help build a better financial system, issued the following analysis: * * * September 17, 2026 Standing up to the Lawless Crypto Industry For years now, too many leaders on Wall Street and Washington either looked the other way or unquestioningly supported the crypto industry as it worked relentlessly to infiltrate our financial system and rewrite the laws and rules to benefit their special interests. Tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributionsand lobbying fueled this effort. Much of this lobbying originated from too many current and former public officials who leverage their government service to engage in influence peddling. Leaders who should have known better simply accepted the pixie dust of "innovation" and the fairytale of crypto riches, best exemplified by policymakers' wrongheaded embrace of Sam Bankman-Fried in the lead-up to the spectacular collapse of FTX. While many came to their senses after Bankman-Fried's arrest and conviction, the lure of crypto money has proven resilient among policymakers even after massive hacks, scams, and bankruptcies.
Better Markets has stood up against crypto special interests and their multi-fronted attacks on consumers, investors, and the financial system. Crypto is rewriting the rules governing investments and trading to serve their interests at the SEC, while simultaneously working hand-in-glove with the Commission to drop successful enforcement actions. Crypto cheerleaders have taken over the CFTC. They are retooling derivatives rules at the expense of traditional commodities businesses like farmers and ranchers. The crypto industry has also won a law enforcement standdown at the Department of Justice and is promoting their preferred legislation in Congress.
Better Markets' resources track, highlight, and oppose these harmful and aggressive actions and continue to stand up against the crypto tidal wave of money that threatens to overwhelm vital consumer and economic protections.
Regulatory Agencies
* The SEC's "innovation exemption" to facilitate tokenized stock trading would imperil investors, as discussed in our September 18, 2026 press release.
* The Federal's Proposal would divert deposits from Main Street banks and provide special-purpose payment accounts to certain nonbank financial firms, including crypto firms, as discussed in our July 27, 2026 comment letter.
* The NCUA's proposal to bring stablecoins into the credit union system would bring significant risks. See our July 17, 2026 comment letter.
* The FDIC's reckless GENIUS Act proposal would import all the volatility and illicit finance risks of the crypto market into the United States' federally insured banking system without the strong rules necessary to apply prudent standards to these risky products, as we demonstrated in a June 9, 2026 comment letter.
* The CFTC's approval of perpetual futures provides an important cautionary tale: a feeble process collided with regulatory capture to enable the introduction of exotic financial products with little concern for public feedback on risks or fair competition, writes Amanda Fischer in a June 4, 2026 Substack.
* The CFTC continues to show that it will give the crypto industry and the prediction markets industry anything they want, as it did when the CFTC approved Kalshi's perpetual futures contract on spot bitcoin despite perpetual futures being one of the most dangerous crypto products for retail investors. See our statement. (5/29/2026)
* Policymakers at the banking agencies and on Capitol Hill pay a lot of lip service to community banks, but their actions tell the true story: cake for big banks, crypto banks, and fintech; crumbs for community banks, as described in our May 28, 2026 fact sheet.
* The SEC's anti-investor shift, with its crypto industry giveaways, is bad for everyone, as Dennis M. Kelleher wrote in an April 23, 2026 Substack.
* The DOL's proposal to facilitate the inclusion of risky assets like private credit, private equity, and cryptocurrencies in the 401(k) accounts on which Americans depend for their retirement savings puts the interests of alternative asset managers and the crypto industry first and the interests of investors and retirement savers last, as we detail in our March 30, 2026 statement.
* The SEC's refusal to treat crypto assets as securities endangers investors everywhere, as we described in our March 17, 2026 statement after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued its interpretation of how the federal securities laws apply to crypto assets.
* Our amicus brief in support of the State of Nevada's authority to regulate Crypto.com and other so-called "prediction markets," which are nothing more than illegal sportsbooks, argued that Congress never intended to unleash nationwide gambling, overrule the gambling laws in all 50 states, or have the CFTC oversee gambling and sports betting in all 50 states. (3/10/2026)
* The OCC is continuing its attempt to rewrite its own policies and contradict the law to benefit the crypto industry, with recent proposals that would ensure that crypto banks can be established, thrive, and compete directly with real banks. This goes directly against the OCC's core mission of chartering real banks that support the real economy and promoting the safety and soundness of the banking system. See our February 11, 2026 comment letter.
* We called Fed payment accounts a "giveaway to the crypto industry" in a February 6, 2026 comment letter.
* Five years after GameStop, regulators have allowed the dangerous gamification of investing to proliferate. The same risks that manifested in the GameStop trading frenzy have replicated and amplified themselves in crypto, prediction markets, and calls for 24/7 trading, as we describe in our January 27, 2026 fact sheet.
* One year after President Trump's executive order on digital assets: the results are repeatedly proving to the American people just how much damage can be done in a year, and how broad that damage can be. Read our January 23, 2026 statement.
Other Resources
The New York Times: From Foe to Ally: The S.E.C. Is Now Writing Crypto-Friendly Policies (3/30/26)
* Top financial regulators are "prioritizing the crypto industry's interests above literally everything," said Dennis Kelleher, who runs Better Markets, a financial reform group. "The signal to the industry is whatever you want, you're going to get."
* Release: CFTC Collaborates with the Industries It Should Be Regulating (8/20/26)
Fact Sheet: SPACs + Crypto = Buyer Beware (7/24/2025).
Fact Sheet: The Most Dangerous Product in Crypto Is Coming Onshore (Perpetual Futures) (6/27/2025)
Release: SEC Completes Transformation Into Washington's Crypto Cheerleader, Drops Lawsuit Against Binance & Executives (5/30/2025)
Release: The SEC Under Chair Atkins Will Be the Crypto Industry's Chief Cheerleader (5/20/2025)
Release: SEC Again Leaves Investors Unprotected from Crypto's Risks (5/15/2025)
Release: Our team explained that the SEC made another critical mistake by approving Spot Ether ETPs (4/9/25)
On Friday, March 21, the Securities and Exchange Commission's Crypto Task Force held its inaugural roundtable, "How We Got Here and How We Get Out - Defining Security Status."
* Benjamin Schiffrin, Better Markets' Director of Securities Policy, is a member of the Task Force and took part in the roundtable, where he emphasized the importance of consumer protections for retail investors.
Barron's Op-ed: Trump's Crypto Plan Is Neither Strategic Nor a Reserve (3/21/25)
LA Times Op-ed: Why the Trump administration is easing up on crypto crime at exactly the wrong moment (3/12/25)
Testimony: Shayna Olesiuk, our Director of Banking Policy, testified at a House Financial Services Committee hearing on debanking today. Shayna emphasized the importance of regulators considering crypto risk in their work to protect Main Street. (2/6/25)
Release: Our team spoke out against the SEC's decision to rescind SAB 121, which provided that companies holding crypto assets for customers face unique risks and should therefore reflect those assets as liabilities on their balance sheets. (1/24/25)
Amicus Brief: Our team filed a brief in the high-profile crypto case, SEC v. Ripple. The case will determine whether investors are protected under the securities laws against the fraud, manipulation, and hidden information that has characterized the crypto markets since their inception. (1/23/25)
The Atlantic: The Great Crypto Crash (1/7/25)
* "The countdown clock on the next catastrophic crash has already started," Dennis Kelleher, the president of the nonprofit Better Markets, told me."
Amicus Brief: We argued that the SEC's new rule requiring more firms to register as dealers was critical to protecting investors from the threats of crypto. (7/11/24)
Report: Our team explained why crypto should be regulated by the SEC under the Howey Test to protect investors. (7/26/24)
Comment Letter: We explained why approving Spot Ether ETFs would hurt investors, consumers, and financial stability (5/15/24)
The New York Times: U.S. Approves Investment Product Tied to Popular Cryptocurrency Ether (5/23/24)
* 'The S.E.C. failed to live up to its mission to protect investors and the markets,' Benjamin Schiffrin of Better Markets, a nonprofit that fights for stricter financial regulations, said in a statement.
Release: The SEC's approval of spot Ether ETPs endangers investors and financial stability. (5/23/24)
Release: Better Markets noted the growing winning streak for the SEC after the ruling against Terraform (4/5/24)
Comment Letter: Our team opposed ether-based ETPs (1/12/24)
Bloomberg TV: Dennis Kelleher on Why Bitcoin ETFs Will Harm Investors (1/11/24)
Reuters: US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market (1/11/24)
* Dennis Kelleher, CEO of investor advocacy think tank Better Markets, warned that bitcoin was still vulnerable to crypto fraudsters and said approving the ETFs was a "historic mistake."
* "The SEC's action today has changed nothing about this worthless financial product: bitcoin and crypto still have no legitimate use," he said.
Read our Statement on the SEC's approval of Bitcoin ETFs (1/10/24).
Comment Letter: Better Markets opposed Bitcoin ETP applications and the potential danger they could cause to investors and the entire financial system. (1/5/24)
Politico: A bitcoin breakthrough (1/4/24)
* In Morning Money, Dennis Kelleher shares that approval of Bitcoin ETFs will give the crypto a veneer of legitimacy despite its record of criminality & lawlessness.
American Banker: FDIC draws bright line between insured and uninsured (12/22/23)
* "The FDIC deposit insurance is the gold standard for trust, confidence, and protection, which is why too many in the crypto industry want to misleadingly, if not falsely, suggest to crypto investors that their money is protected by the FDIC. That false comfort not only harms investors, but also the insurance program, insured banks, and the broader banking system as people lose faith in the FDIC [and] that's what today's rule aims to stop."
Comment Letters: Better Markets asked the SEC to reject proposed rule changes filed by national securities exchanges to list and trade shares in spot bitcoin-based exchange traded products (8/9/23)
Crime & Fraud
Press Release: Is Senator Gillibrand Being Bribed by the Crypto Industry and a Hypocrite on Trump Corruption? (7/6/26)
Fact Sheet: Crypto Lending Poses Huge Risks for Retail Investors (7/17/2025)
Fact Sheet: Boom Times for Crypto Crime (5/6/2025)
Fact Sheet: Crypto's Predatory Targeting of Minority Communities (10/24/24)
Fact Sheet: Standing with Crypto Means Standing with Fraudsters (9/18/24)
Wall Street Journal: Founder of Binance, World's Largest Crypto Firm, Sentenced to Four Months(4/30/24)
* "He and a bunch of others at Binance should have been charged with substantive violations, not what is a minimalist charge almost akin to a record-keeping violation," said Dennis Kelleher, head of Better Markets, a group that advocates for tougher financial regulation.
Memo: Our team outlined why the Department of Justice must do more to hold CZ accountable for his stunning crimes. (4/29/24)
Associated Press: Regulators and law enforcement crack down on crypto's bad actors. Congress has yet to take action (11/22/23)
* "The lawlessness, if not criminal activities of crypto will continue and increase until all prosecutors, regulators and elected officials force the industry to act like all other law-abiding people and firms in the financial industry," said Dennis Kelleher, president of Better Markets, a nonprofit that works to "build a more secure financial system for all Americans," according to its website.
Fact Sheet: Our Fact Sheet explains how crypto is an important tool used for criminal and terrorists, including Hamas. (10/25/23)
Congress & Legislation
* The current fight between banks and crypto companies has the potential to devastate our economy. Crypto companies want to maintain their ability to offer interest on so-called stablecoins (which should really be called unstablecoins), which was allowed under a massive loophole in the GENIUS Act passed last summer. That could attract a lot of depositors away from banks, which would do real harm to the economy, especially Main Street Americans. We explain in our March 4, 2026 fact sheet.
* The terms of the tokenization debate must not be dictated by the crypto industry, which wants tokenized securities to be exempt from some of the rules that govern stock trading. However, there is no reason to exempt tokenized securities from those rules, and there is no reason to equate crypto with tokenization. They are not the same, as we detail in our March 24, 2026 fact sheet.
Other Resources
Statement: House Passes Legislation Deregulating Crypto, Enabling the Next Financial Crisis (7/17/2025)
Fact Sheet: Buyers' Remorse? Key Questions to Consider in Crypto Legislation (7/14/2025)
Press Release: Senate Banking Democrats Shamefully Pick Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried's "Key Ally" and House Republicans' Witness for a One-Sided Pro-Crypto Hearing (6/23/2025)
Statement: Senate Passing Industry-Friendly GENIUS Act Puts Economy at Risk (6/17/2025)
Testimony: Amanda Fischer, Policy Director & COO, testified before the House Financial Services Committee on the CLARITY Act (6/6/25)
Fact Sheet: Don't Be a Dummy: GENIUS Act Changes Fail to Make a Bad Bill Better (5/16/2025)
Fact Sheet: The GENIUS Act: Allowing Big Tech to Control Our Money
Fact Sheet: Stablecoin Legislation: Why Nothing is Better Than Something (5/7/2025)
Open Banker Op-ed: Forget Myths: The Stablecoin Reality (3/20/25)
Fact Sheet: Our team outlined the pressing questions lawmakers must ask as they consider (Un)Stablecoin Legislation. (2/26/25)
Fact Sheet: Ahead of a House Financial Services Committee hearing entitled "A Golden Age of Digital Assets: Charting a Path Forward" we released a new fact sheet explaining why Congress must should actually be focusing on crypto's long criminal record, which has ripped off millions of Americans. (2/10/25)
Our fact sheet outlines the key issues policymakers should consider as the crypto industry attempts to buy Washington. (11/15/24)
Fact Sheet: Seven Questions on the Pro-Crypto, Anti-SEC Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT 21) (6/11/24)
Op-ed: Congress must ask tough questions about crypto industry favored legislation (6/11/24)
Fact Sheet: We raised serious questions about a crypto market structure bill moving through the House of Representatives. (5/22/24)
Fact Sheet: We raised important questions over a Congressional Review Act Resolution that would repeal SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 121, which provides that companies holding crypto assets for customers face unique risks and should therefore reflect those assets as liabilities on their balance sheets. (2/27/24)
Press Release: Our team put together 10 reasons why Congress shouldn't pass the industry's special interest bailout bill. (11/29/23)
Fact Sheet: Our fact sheet argues that Congress must carefully consider the track record of stablecoins, and their impact on the financial system before adopting measures that would legitimize this dangerous corner of the crypto market. (5/17/23)
Press Release: We called on Congress to know the facts before considering legislation putting the underfunded CFTC in charge of the crypto Industry (11/21/22)
Influence Peddling
* The crypto industry, its lobbyists, and supporters in the administration have been pushing false claims and deceptive "analysis" to support the crypto position, but policymakers must stick to the facts and thoughtful analysis and reject their efforts for the benefit of the economy, argue Phillip Basil and Chris Appel in an April 16, 2026 Substack.
* After Politico reported that "Crypto billionaire among dozens to back startup from Gillibrand's son," we released a statement condemning the close relationship between Congress and the crypto industry. (7/9/2026)
Other Resources
Press Release: Crypto Industry Juices Latest Polls to Falsely Claim Broad Support among U.S. Voters (7/14/2025)
NPR: How President Trump is sparking a crypto revolution in America (5/19/2025)
- "History is going to show this will be a disaster courting a catastrophe for the rest of the country and especially for Main Street Americans, who are going to get stuck with the bill cleaning up after the next financial crash," says Dennis Kelleher, a prominent crypto critic at advocacy group Better Markets
The Economist: The crypto industry is suddenly at the heart of American politics (5/15/2025)
* "It's the most brute force display of money and power in the legislature I have ever seen," says Amanda Fischer, chief operating officer for Better Markets.
San Francisco Chronicle Op-ed: What the crypto industry didn't say in its deceptive -- and effective -- campaign ads (11/7/24)
NPR: The crypto industry won big this election. It has several implications (12/16/24)
* "I talked to Dennis Kelleher, the head of the nonpartisan watchdog Better Markets. He points out that with Republicans controlling the White House, and likely Congress, there just won't be as many guardrails on the crypto industry.
DENNIS KELLEHER: And unfortunately, that means more scams, frauds and criminals running amok, with those regulators and prosecutors mostly ignoring it all.
* ASPAN: Kelleher also points out that whatever your feelings on crypto, there's not a lot of evidence that it's why people voted the way they did. Many of the campaign ads the crypto industry bought didn't even mention crypto. They highlighted other issues to help get crypto-friendly lawmakers elected."
The American Prospect: The Crypto Bros Are Taking Over Politics (9/10/24)
* Needless to say, the crypto industry hasn't left everyone agog with wonder. "It's a lawless industry with a business model that is basically 'catch us if you can' [with lawsuits], and before you can do that we'll buy enough politicians to get a special law passed that has the appearance of regulation with the reality of deregulation," Dennis Kelleher, CEO of the financial reform nonprofit Better Markets told The American Prospect back in April; he has also written for the Financial Times discouraging Harris from caving to the industry.
CNBC: Dennis Kelleher joined CNBC's Crypto World with Brandon Gomez to discuss why Vice President Harris should reject the crypto industry's massive influence campaign and focus on issues that matter to Main Street.
Lever News: Welcome To The Crypto Election (7/31/24)
* "The crypto industry is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to distract policymakers and the public from its long rap sheet of criminal convictions, predatory conduct, illegal behavior, bankruptcies, lawsuits, and scandals," said Dennis Kelleher, president of consumer advocacy group Better Markets. "These crypto PACs are looking to make the crypto industry's work in Congress even easier by trying to defeat elected officials who put the public interest first and are not crypto-lackeys."
Financial Times op-ed by Dennis Kelleher: Kamala Harris should not cave to overtures from the crypto crowd (8/15/24)
BBC News: Dennis Kelleher Talked Crypto and the Election on BBC News (7/25/24)
New York Times: How Crypto Money Is Poised to Influence the Election (6/17/24)
- "A single relatively small industry is literally trying to buy enough politicians to hijack the public agenda," said Dennis Kelleher, the president of Better Markets, a financial reform advocacy group. "It's pretty breathtaking."
Bloomberg: Trump Mugshot NFTs Highlight Crypto's Arrival on Campaign Trail (5/16/24)
- To Kelleher, at the crypto-critical Better Markets group, there's another meaningful number of people to consider: All the voters who have been turned off by the long list of crimes and scandals associated with the asset class.
- 'It's hard to believe that there are going to be many people who conclude that voting in favor of a bunch of criminals and predators is somehow in their interest,' he said.
Financial Times: Crypto lobbyists are on manoeuvres -- and we should be worried (3/28/24)
* "And this week Dennis Kelleher, head of Better Markets, another non-profit, and crypto critic, wrote that 'a crypto industry dark money group...with the Orwellian name 'Fairshake' raised nearly $80mn in just the last three months of 2023'. Kelleher says this is being used to attack politicians who have expressed reservations about crypto, such as the Democrat senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown. Indeed, the campaign has already helped to knock out one anti-crypto voice, Katie Porter, who recently lost a Californian primary."
Bloomberg: Crypto Titans Threaten to Unleash War Chest on Hostile Lawmakers (3/15/24)
* "They know the public views crypto like kryptonite - it turns off more voters than it turns on," said Dennis Kelleher, president and chief executive officer of Better Markets, a group that pushes for greater market oversight. But "you can bet that wherever crypto spends a penny, they will claim they have influenced the outcome and expect the winners to pay them back."
CNBC: Mysterious crypto 'dark money' group ramps up lobbying efforts ahead of 2024 election (1/8/24)
* "What we're going to see in 2024 is a massive ramp up in crypto-funded 'dark' money campaigns against anybody who isn't a crypto shill," Kelleher said. "By the end of the year, when it's all added up, I think the crypto industry is going to put hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars in trying to defeat people who want to actually represent the voters, rather than represent crypto."
FTX
Bloomberg TV: Dennis Kelleher Talks SBF, Lawless Crypto Industry, & the 2024 Campaign on Bloomberg Crypto (4/2/24)
Statement: We applauded SBF's 25 year sentence but noted that SBF is not an outlier, but rather a representation of the crypto industry. (3/28/24)
Memo: We outlined why SBF deserves a very long sentence for his egregious crypto crime spree. (3/26/24)
Press Release: SBF's Conviction was an important step, but others who contributed to crypto's lawlessness must be held accountable. (11/2/23)
Dennis Kelleher Explains How Better Markets Stood up to FTX in New Bloomberg Documentary (10/26/23)
Fact Sheet: Setting the record Straight on Crypto, FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried, and Financial Regulators (3/8/23)
Press Release: Ahead of a Senate Agriculture hearing on CFTC Oversight Better Markets released key questions for the CFTC Chair to answer about the agency's role in crypto oversight and regulation. (3/7/23)
Report: In a examination of the SEC's work on crypto, our team details the facts of what the #SEC has actually done and why it has been as effective as possible under the circumstances. (1/24/23)
Blog: Our team examined the stunning impact of the revolving door between the CFTC and FTX. (12/26/2022)
Letter to Senate Agriculture Committee: We raised numerous concerns over an FTX endorsed crypto bill that would jeopardize investor, consumer, and financial stability protections. (1/10/23)
Fact Sheet: Before the Senate Agriculture hearing on a crypto bill that was FTX's main priority, we asked the CFTC and Members of Congress to consider 10 key questions about the legislation. (11/30/22)
Press Release: We called for an investigation of the CFTC's FTX Failures and push for crypto-friendly legislation (11/15/2022)
Press Release: Our statement criticized the CFTC for failing to properly regulate or supervise FTX (11/14/22)
Fact Sheet: Before a CFTC roundtable on FTX's application, we outlined the key questions that both the CFTC and FTX should address as they considered the company's application. (5/24/22)
Letter: Our letter to the CFTC urged the agency to have a "transparent, robust, and meaningly inclusive" process for evaluating FTX's application. (6/16/22)
Comment Letter: Better Markets Criticized FTX's proposal before the CFTC, noting the threats posed to customer protection and systemic stability by cryptocurrency investments. (5/11/22)
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Original text here: https://bettermarkets.org/analysis/setting-the-record-straight-on-crypto-ftx-sam-bankman-fried-jamie-dimon-the-sec-and-cftc-and-the-revolving-door/
[Category: Financial Services]
* * *
September 17, 2026
Standing up to the Lawless Crypto Industry
For years now, too many leaders on Wall Street and Washington either looked the other way or unquestioningly supported the crypto industry as it worked relentlessly to infiltrate our financial system and rewrite the laws and rules to benefit their special interests. Tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributions ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (TNSLrpt) -- Better Markets, an organization that says it promotes pro-market, pro-business and pro-growth policies to help build a better financial system, issued the following analysis: * * * September 17, 2026 Standing up to the Lawless Crypto Industry For years now, too many leaders on Wall Street and Washington either looked the other way or unquestioningly supported the crypto industry as it worked relentlessly to infiltrate our financial system and rewrite the laws and rules to benefit their special interests. Tens of millions of dollars in campaign contributionsand lobbying fueled this effort. Much of this lobbying originated from too many current and former public officials who leverage their government service to engage in influence peddling. Leaders who should have known better simply accepted the pixie dust of "innovation" and the fairytale of crypto riches, best exemplified by policymakers' wrongheaded embrace of Sam Bankman-Fried in the lead-up to the spectacular collapse of FTX. While many came to their senses after Bankman-Fried's arrest and conviction, the lure of crypto money has proven resilient among policymakers even after massive hacks, scams, and bankruptcies.
Better Markets has stood up against crypto special interests and their multi-fronted attacks on consumers, investors, and the financial system. Crypto is rewriting the rules governing investments and trading to serve their interests at the SEC, while simultaneously working hand-in-glove with the Commission to drop successful enforcement actions. Crypto cheerleaders have taken over the CFTC. They are retooling derivatives rules at the expense of traditional commodities businesses like farmers and ranchers. The crypto industry has also won a law enforcement standdown at the Department of Justice and is promoting their preferred legislation in Congress.
Better Markets' resources track, highlight, and oppose these harmful and aggressive actions and continue to stand up against the crypto tidal wave of money that threatens to overwhelm vital consumer and economic protections.
Regulatory Agencies
* The SEC's "innovation exemption" to facilitate tokenized stock trading would imperil investors, as discussed in our September 18, 2026 press release.
* The Federal's Proposal would divert deposits from Main Street banks and provide special-purpose payment accounts to certain nonbank financial firms, including crypto firms, as discussed in our July 27, 2026 comment letter.
* The NCUA's proposal to bring stablecoins into the credit union system would bring significant risks. See our July 17, 2026 comment letter.
* The FDIC's reckless GENIUS Act proposal would import all the volatility and illicit finance risks of the crypto market into the United States' federally insured banking system without the strong rules necessary to apply prudent standards to these risky products, as we demonstrated in a June 9, 2026 comment letter.
* The CFTC's approval of perpetual futures provides an important cautionary tale: a feeble process collided with regulatory capture to enable the introduction of exotic financial products with little concern for public feedback on risks or fair competition, writes Amanda Fischer in a June 4, 2026 Substack.
* The CFTC continues to show that it will give the crypto industry and the prediction markets industry anything they want, as it did when the CFTC approved Kalshi's perpetual futures contract on spot bitcoin despite perpetual futures being one of the most dangerous crypto products for retail investors. See our statement. (5/29/2026)
* Policymakers at the banking agencies and on Capitol Hill pay a lot of lip service to community banks, but their actions tell the true story: cake for big banks, crypto banks, and fintech; crumbs for community banks, as described in our May 28, 2026 fact sheet.
* The SEC's anti-investor shift, with its crypto industry giveaways, is bad for everyone, as Dennis M. Kelleher wrote in an April 23, 2026 Substack.
* The DOL's proposal to facilitate the inclusion of risky assets like private credit, private equity, and cryptocurrencies in the 401(k) accounts on which Americans depend for their retirement savings puts the interests of alternative asset managers and the crypto industry first and the interests of investors and retirement savers last, as we detail in our March 30, 2026 statement.
* The SEC's refusal to treat crypto assets as securities endangers investors everywhere, as we described in our March 17, 2026 statement after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued its interpretation of how the federal securities laws apply to crypto assets.
* Our amicus brief in support of the State of Nevada's authority to regulate Crypto.com and other so-called "prediction markets," which are nothing more than illegal sportsbooks, argued that Congress never intended to unleash nationwide gambling, overrule the gambling laws in all 50 states, or have the CFTC oversee gambling and sports betting in all 50 states. (3/10/2026)
* The OCC is continuing its attempt to rewrite its own policies and contradict the law to benefit the crypto industry, with recent proposals that would ensure that crypto banks can be established, thrive, and compete directly with real banks. This goes directly against the OCC's core mission of chartering real banks that support the real economy and promoting the safety and soundness of the banking system. See our February 11, 2026 comment letter.
* We called Fed payment accounts a "giveaway to the crypto industry" in a February 6, 2026 comment letter.
* Five years after GameStop, regulators have allowed the dangerous gamification of investing to proliferate. The same risks that manifested in the GameStop trading frenzy have replicated and amplified themselves in crypto, prediction markets, and calls for 24/7 trading, as we describe in our January 27, 2026 fact sheet.
* One year after President Trump's executive order on digital assets: the results are repeatedly proving to the American people just how much damage can be done in a year, and how broad that damage can be. Read our January 23, 2026 statement.
Other Resources
The New York Times: From Foe to Ally: The S.E.C. Is Now Writing Crypto-Friendly Policies (3/30/26)
* Top financial regulators are "prioritizing the crypto industry's interests above literally everything," said Dennis Kelleher, who runs Better Markets, a financial reform group. "The signal to the industry is whatever you want, you're going to get."
* Release: CFTC Collaborates with the Industries It Should Be Regulating (8/20/26)
Fact Sheet: SPACs + Crypto = Buyer Beware (7/24/2025).
Fact Sheet: The Most Dangerous Product in Crypto Is Coming Onshore (Perpetual Futures) (6/27/2025)
Release: SEC Completes Transformation Into Washington's Crypto Cheerleader, Drops Lawsuit Against Binance & Executives (5/30/2025)
Release: The SEC Under Chair Atkins Will Be the Crypto Industry's Chief Cheerleader (5/20/2025)
Release: SEC Again Leaves Investors Unprotected from Crypto's Risks (5/15/2025)
Release: Our team explained that the SEC made another critical mistake by approving Spot Ether ETPs (4/9/25)
On Friday, March 21, the Securities and Exchange Commission's Crypto Task Force held its inaugural roundtable, "How We Got Here and How We Get Out - Defining Security Status."
* Benjamin Schiffrin, Better Markets' Director of Securities Policy, is a member of the Task Force and took part in the roundtable, where he emphasized the importance of consumer protections for retail investors.
Barron's Op-ed: Trump's Crypto Plan Is Neither Strategic Nor a Reserve (3/21/25)
LA Times Op-ed: Why the Trump administration is easing up on crypto crime at exactly the wrong moment (3/12/25)
Testimony: Shayna Olesiuk, our Director of Banking Policy, testified at a House Financial Services Committee hearing on debanking today. Shayna emphasized the importance of regulators considering crypto risk in their work to protect Main Street. (2/6/25)
Release: Our team spoke out against the SEC's decision to rescind SAB 121, which provided that companies holding crypto assets for customers face unique risks and should therefore reflect those assets as liabilities on their balance sheets. (1/24/25)
Amicus Brief: Our team filed a brief in the high-profile crypto case, SEC v. Ripple. The case will determine whether investors are protected under the securities laws against the fraud, manipulation, and hidden information that has characterized the crypto markets since their inception. (1/23/25)
The Atlantic: The Great Crypto Crash (1/7/25)
* "The countdown clock on the next catastrophic crash has already started," Dennis Kelleher, the president of the nonprofit Better Markets, told me."
Amicus Brief: We argued that the SEC's new rule requiring more firms to register as dealers was critical to protecting investors from the threats of crypto. (7/11/24)
Report: Our team explained why crypto should be regulated by the SEC under the Howey Test to protect investors. (7/26/24)
Comment Letter: We explained why approving Spot Ether ETFs would hurt investors, consumers, and financial stability (5/15/24)
The New York Times: U.S. Approves Investment Product Tied to Popular Cryptocurrency Ether (5/23/24)
* 'The S.E.C. failed to live up to its mission to protect investors and the markets,' Benjamin Schiffrin of Better Markets, a nonprofit that fights for stricter financial regulations, said in a statement.
Release: The SEC's approval of spot Ether ETPs endangers investors and financial stability. (5/23/24)
Release: Better Markets noted the growing winning streak for the SEC after the ruling against Terraform (4/5/24)
Comment Letter: Our team opposed ether-based ETPs (1/12/24)
Bloomberg TV: Dennis Kelleher on Why Bitcoin ETFs Will Harm Investors (1/11/24)
Reuters: US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market (1/11/24)
* Dennis Kelleher, CEO of investor advocacy think tank Better Markets, warned that bitcoin was still vulnerable to crypto fraudsters and said approving the ETFs was a "historic mistake."
* "The SEC's action today has changed nothing about this worthless financial product: bitcoin and crypto still have no legitimate use," he said.
Read our Statement on the SEC's approval of Bitcoin ETFs (1/10/24).
Comment Letter: Better Markets opposed Bitcoin ETP applications and the potential danger they could cause to investors and the entire financial system. (1/5/24)
Politico: A bitcoin breakthrough (1/4/24)
* In Morning Money, Dennis Kelleher shares that approval of Bitcoin ETFs will give the crypto a veneer of legitimacy despite its record of criminality & lawlessness.
American Banker: FDIC draws bright line between insured and uninsured (12/22/23)
* "The FDIC deposit insurance is the gold standard for trust, confidence, and protection, which is why too many in the crypto industry want to misleadingly, if not falsely, suggest to crypto investors that their money is protected by the FDIC. That false comfort not only harms investors, but also the insurance program, insured banks, and the broader banking system as people lose faith in the FDIC [and] that's what today's rule aims to stop."
Comment Letters: Better Markets asked the SEC to reject proposed rule changes filed by national securities exchanges to list and trade shares in spot bitcoin-based exchange traded products (8/9/23)
Crime & Fraud
Press Release: Is Senator Gillibrand Being Bribed by the Crypto Industry and a Hypocrite on Trump Corruption? (7/6/26)
Fact Sheet: Crypto Lending Poses Huge Risks for Retail Investors (7/17/2025)
Fact Sheet: Boom Times for Crypto Crime (5/6/2025)
Fact Sheet: Crypto's Predatory Targeting of Minority Communities (10/24/24)
Fact Sheet: Standing with Crypto Means Standing with Fraudsters (9/18/24)
Wall Street Journal: Founder of Binance, World's Largest Crypto Firm, Sentenced to Four Months(4/30/24)
* "He and a bunch of others at Binance should have been charged with substantive violations, not what is a minimalist charge almost akin to a record-keeping violation," said Dennis Kelleher, head of Better Markets, a group that advocates for tougher financial regulation.
Memo: Our team outlined why the Department of Justice must do more to hold CZ accountable for his stunning crimes. (4/29/24)
Associated Press: Regulators and law enforcement crack down on crypto's bad actors. Congress has yet to take action (11/22/23)
* "The lawlessness, if not criminal activities of crypto will continue and increase until all prosecutors, regulators and elected officials force the industry to act like all other law-abiding people and firms in the financial industry," said Dennis Kelleher, president of Better Markets, a nonprofit that works to "build a more secure financial system for all Americans," according to its website.
Fact Sheet: Our Fact Sheet explains how crypto is an important tool used for criminal and terrorists, including Hamas. (10/25/23)
Congress & Legislation
* The current fight between banks and crypto companies has the potential to devastate our economy. Crypto companies want to maintain their ability to offer interest on so-called stablecoins (which should really be called unstablecoins), which was allowed under a massive loophole in the GENIUS Act passed last summer. That could attract a lot of depositors away from banks, which would do real harm to the economy, especially Main Street Americans. We explain in our March 4, 2026 fact sheet.
* The terms of the tokenization debate must not be dictated by the crypto industry, which wants tokenized securities to be exempt from some of the rules that govern stock trading. However, there is no reason to exempt tokenized securities from those rules, and there is no reason to equate crypto with tokenization. They are not the same, as we detail in our March 24, 2026 fact sheet.
Other Resources
Statement: House Passes Legislation Deregulating Crypto, Enabling the Next Financial Crisis (7/17/2025)
Fact Sheet: Buyers' Remorse? Key Questions to Consider in Crypto Legislation (7/14/2025)
Press Release: Senate Banking Democrats Shamefully Pick Former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried's "Key Ally" and House Republicans' Witness for a One-Sided Pro-Crypto Hearing (6/23/2025)
Statement: Senate Passing Industry-Friendly GENIUS Act Puts Economy at Risk (6/17/2025)
Testimony: Amanda Fischer, Policy Director & COO, testified before the House Financial Services Committee on the CLARITY Act (6/6/25)
Fact Sheet: Don't Be a Dummy: GENIUS Act Changes Fail to Make a Bad Bill Better (5/16/2025)
Fact Sheet: The GENIUS Act: Allowing Big Tech to Control Our Money
Fact Sheet: Stablecoin Legislation: Why Nothing is Better Than Something (5/7/2025)
Open Banker Op-ed: Forget Myths: The Stablecoin Reality (3/20/25)
Fact Sheet: Our team outlined the pressing questions lawmakers must ask as they consider (Un)Stablecoin Legislation. (2/26/25)
Fact Sheet: Ahead of a House Financial Services Committee hearing entitled "A Golden Age of Digital Assets: Charting a Path Forward" we released a new fact sheet explaining why Congress must should actually be focusing on crypto's long criminal record, which has ripped off millions of Americans. (2/10/25)
Our fact sheet outlines the key issues policymakers should consider as the crypto industry attempts to buy Washington. (11/15/24)
Fact Sheet: Seven Questions on the Pro-Crypto, Anti-SEC Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT 21) (6/11/24)
Op-ed: Congress must ask tough questions about crypto industry favored legislation (6/11/24)
Fact Sheet: We raised serious questions about a crypto market structure bill moving through the House of Representatives. (5/22/24)
Fact Sheet: We raised important questions over a Congressional Review Act Resolution that would repeal SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 121, which provides that companies holding crypto assets for customers face unique risks and should therefore reflect those assets as liabilities on their balance sheets. (2/27/24)
Press Release: Our team put together 10 reasons why Congress shouldn't pass the industry's special interest bailout bill. (11/29/23)
Fact Sheet: Our fact sheet argues that Congress must carefully consider the track record of stablecoins, and their impact on the financial system before adopting measures that would legitimize this dangerous corner of the crypto market. (5/17/23)
Press Release: We called on Congress to know the facts before considering legislation putting the underfunded CFTC in charge of the crypto Industry (11/21/22)
Influence Peddling
* The crypto industry, its lobbyists, and supporters in the administration have been pushing false claims and deceptive "analysis" to support the crypto position, but policymakers must stick to the facts and thoughtful analysis and reject their efforts for the benefit of the economy, argue Phillip Basil and Chris Appel in an April 16, 2026 Substack.
* After Politico reported that "Crypto billionaire among dozens to back startup from Gillibrand's son," we released a statement condemning the close relationship between Congress and the crypto industry. (7/9/2026)
Other Resources
Press Release: Crypto Industry Juices Latest Polls to Falsely Claim Broad Support among U.S. Voters (7/14/2025)
NPR: How President Trump is sparking a crypto revolution in America (5/19/2025)
- "History is going to show this will be a disaster courting a catastrophe for the rest of the country and especially for Main Street Americans, who are going to get stuck with the bill cleaning up after the next financial crash," says Dennis Kelleher, a prominent crypto critic at advocacy group Better Markets
The Economist: The crypto industry is suddenly at the heart of American politics (5/15/2025)
* "It's the most brute force display of money and power in the legislature I have ever seen," says Amanda Fischer, chief operating officer for Better Markets.
San Francisco Chronicle Op-ed: What the crypto industry didn't say in its deceptive -- and effective -- campaign ads (11/7/24)
NPR: The crypto industry won big this election. It has several implications (12/16/24)
* "I talked to Dennis Kelleher, the head of the nonpartisan watchdog Better Markets. He points out that with Republicans controlling the White House, and likely Congress, there just won't be as many guardrails on the crypto industry.
DENNIS KELLEHER: And unfortunately, that means more scams, frauds and criminals running amok, with those regulators and prosecutors mostly ignoring it all.
* ASPAN: Kelleher also points out that whatever your feelings on crypto, there's not a lot of evidence that it's why people voted the way they did. Many of the campaign ads the crypto industry bought didn't even mention crypto. They highlighted other issues to help get crypto-friendly lawmakers elected."
The American Prospect: The Crypto Bros Are Taking Over Politics (9/10/24)
* Needless to say, the crypto industry hasn't left everyone agog with wonder. "It's a lawless industry with a business model that is basically 'catch us if you can' [with lawsuits], and before you can do that we'll buy enough politicians to get a special law passed that has the appearance of regulation with the reality of deregulation," Dennis Kelleher, CEO of the financial reform nonprofit Better Markets told The American Prospect back in April; he has also written for the Financial Times discouraging Harris from caving to the industry.
CNBC: Dennis Kelleher joined CNBC's Crypto World with Brandon Gomez to discuss why Vice President Harris should reject the crypto industry's massive influence campaign and focus on issues that matter to Main Street.
Lever News: Welcome To The Crypto Election (7/31/24)
* "The crypto industry is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to distract policymakers and the public from its long rap sheet of criminal convictions, predatory conduct, illegal behavior, bankruptcies, lawsuits, and scandals," said Dennis Kelleher, president of consumer advocacy group Better Markets. "These crypto PACs are looking to make the crypto industry's work in Congress even easier by trying to defeat elected officials who put the public interest first and are not crypto-lackeys."
Financial Times op-ed by Dennis Kelleher: Kamala Harris should not cave to overtures from the crypto crowd (8/15/24)
BBC News: Dennis Kelleher Talked Crypto and the Election on BBC News (7/25/24)
New York Times: How Crypto Money Is Poised to Influence the Election (6/17/24)
- "A single relatively small industry is literally trying to buy enough politicians to hijack the public agenda," said Dennis Kelleher, the president of Better Markets, a financial reform advocacy group. "It's pretty breathtaking."
Bloomberg: Trump Mugshot NFTs Highlight Crypto's Arrival on Campaign Trail (5/16/24)
- To Kelleher, at the crypto-critical Better Markets group, there's another meaningful number of people to consider: All the voters who have been turned off by the long list of crimes and scandals associated with the asset class.
- 'It's hard to believe that there are going to be many people who conclude that voting in favor of a bunch of criminals and predators is somehow in their interest,' he said.
Financial Times: Crypto lobbyists are on manoeuvres -- and we should be worried (3/28/24)
* "And this week Dennis Kelleher, head of Better Markets, another non-profit, and crypto critic, wrote that 'a crypto industry dark money group...with the Orwellian name 'Fairshake' raised nearly $80mn in just the last three months of 2023'. Kelleher says this is being used to attack politicians who have expressed reservations about crypto, such as the Democrat senators Elizabeth Warren and Sherrod Brown. Indeed, the campaign has already helped to knock out one anti-crypto voice, Katie Porter, who recently lost a Californian primary."
Bloomberg: Crypto Titans Threaten to Unleash War Chest on Hostile Lawmakers (3/15/24)
* "They know the public views crypto like kryptonite - it turns off more voters than it turns on," said Dennis Kelleher, president and chief executive officer of Better Markets, a group that pushes for greater market oversight. But "you can bet that wherever crypto spends a penny, they will claim they have influenced the outcome and expect the winners to pay them back."
CNBC: Mysterious crypto 'dark money' group ramps up lobbying efforts ahead of 2024 election (1/8/24)
* "What we're going to see in 2024 is a massive ramp up in crypto-funded 'dark' money campaigns against anybody who isn't a crypto shill," Kelleher said. "By the end of the year, when it's all added up, I think the crypto industry is going to put hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars in trying to defeat people who want to actually represent the voters, rather than represent crypto."
FTX
Bloomberg TV: Dennis Kelleher Talks SBF, Lawless Crypto Industry, & the 2024 Campaign on Bloomberg Crypto (4/2/24)
Statement: We applauded SBF's 25 year sentence but noted that SBF is not an outlier, but rather a representation of the crypto industry. (3/28/24)
Memo: We outlined why SBF deserves a very long sentence for his egregious crypto crime spree. (3/26/24)
Press Release: SBF's Conviction was an important step, but others who contributed to crypto's lawlessness must be held accountable. (11/2/23)
Dennis Kelleher Explains How Better Markets Stood up to FTX in New Bloomberg Documentary (10/26/23)
Fact Sheet: Setting the record Straight on Crypto, FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried, and Financial Regulators (3/8/23)
Press Release: Ahead of a Senate Agriculture hearing on CFTC Oversight Better Markets released key questions for the CFTC Chair to answer about the agency's role in crypto oversight and regulation. (3/7/23)
Report: In a examination of the SEC's work on crypto, our team details the facts of what the #SEC has actually done and why it has been as effective as possible under the circumstances. (1/24/23)
Blog: Our team examined the stunning impact of the revolving door between the CFTC and FTX. (12/26/2022)
Letter to Senate Agriculture Committee: We raised numerous concerns over an FTX endorsed crypto bill that would jeopardize investor, consumer, and financial stability protections. (1/10/23)
Fact Sheet: Before the Senate Agriculture hearing on a crypto bill that was FTX's main priority, we asked the CFTC and Members of Congress to consider 10 key questions about the legislation. (11/30/22)
Press Release: We called for an investigation of the CFTC's FTX Failures and push for crypto-friendly legislation (11/15/2022)
Press Release: Our statement criticized the CFTC for failing to properly regulate or supervise FTX (11/14/22)
Fact Sheet: Before a CFTC roundtable on FTX's application, we outlined the key questions that both the CFTC and FTX should address as they considered the company's application. (5/24/22)
Letter: Our letter to the CFTC urged the agency to have a "transparent, robust, and meaningly inclusive" process for evaluating FTX's application. (6/16/22)
Comment Letter: Better Markets Criticized FTX's proposal before the CFTC, noting the threats posed to customer protection and systemic stability by cryptocurrency investments. (5/11/22)
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Original text here: https://bettermarkets.org/analysis/setting-the-record-straight-on-crypto-ftx-sam-bankman-fried-jamie-dimon-the-sec-and-cftc-and-the-revolving-door/
[Category: Financial Services]