KEY POINTS
- Deaton said he put $500K of his own money into the campaign and urged voters to help fund the rest
- The lawyer said he believes he can win over Warren and unseat the 11-year-tenured senator
- He previously accused Warren of failing to address the concerns of XRP holders in Massachusetts
Pro-digital asset lawyer John Deaton has called on voters to help him achieve his $1 million campaign fund goal by the end of the month, saying donations can be delivered through cash or crypto, "because freedom is on the line."
In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) over the weekend, the Republican senatorial candidate said he would "self-fund" if he could, but he needs the help of the American people. "Let's send a message to Washington elites, the people are coming for @ewarren's Senate seat. I promise, I will fight for you," he wrote along with the video.
If I could self-fund, I would, because freedom is on the line. I need your help. Whatever you can afford, go to https://t.co/hcSCZ86QKf and pitch in.
— John Deaton (@DeatonforSenate) March 15, 2024
Let’s send a message to Washington elites, the people are coming for @ewarren’s Senate seat. I promise, I will fight for you. pic.twitter.com/UyFKMH8ROK
In the video, Deaton said he put $500,000 of his own money into the campaign and believes he can win Massachusetts. "Some people mistakenly believe that Elizabeth Warren cannot be beaten in Massachusetts, and it's simply not true," he said.
As of Sunday, several X users said they have donated to Deaton's campaign, including Charles Hoskinson, co-founder of the Cardano blockchain platform, who said he donated "the maximum amount allowed" to help fuel Deaton's senatorial bid.
donated, LFG john!!!! 💪
— gootecks (@gootecks) March 15, 2024
Happy to donate (again)!
— 🪝Kitty 🚀 Leroux ☀️ (@LerouxQuiqui) March 15, 2024
I donated today. You’ve done so much for this industry, It’s the least I could do. The people of Massachusetts are lucky to have someone like you fighting for them.
— Crypto Cooper (@CryptoCooper24) March 16, 2024
I just donated the maximum amount allowed for @DeatonforSenate in his fight against Elizabeth Warren for Senate. We need people willing to take on the establishment against banks writing our laws and destroying the Crypto industry. pic.twitter.com/tTxmghBhUH
— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) March 3, 2024
One user, who said he was a registered Democratic voter, donated to Deaton, saying that Warren had been "trying to kill digital assets in America" and the crypto lawyer's fight toward claiming Warren's seat is a battle for the American digital asset users' financial future.
I'm a registered Democrat and I just donated to a Republican for Senate. Why? Because @SenWarren has sold out to big Wall Street banks.
— Mark Phillips {XRP} (@Mark_Phillips) March 16, 2024
John Deaton's career as a US Marine and successful trial attorney is powerful testament to his willingness to fight for justice. He's gone… pic.twitter.com/Oo5G4Ctes6
In 2021, around three months after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued payment protocol Ripple, Deaton filed a motion to intervene on behalf of thousands of holders of XRP, the native cryptocurrency of Ripple.
He said in the filing that more than 6,000 XRP holders reached out to him, "requesting that their individual and collective voices be heard." He said the interests of XRP holders in the SEC's case against Ripple were not adequately represented, as the crypto firm said that "holders of XRP cannot objectively rely on Ripple's efforts."
Deaton launched his senatorial bid last month. He also launched a website calling on the American voting community to "shake up Washington" and donate to his campaign "to retire Elizabeth Warren," the Democratic Party's Massachusetts senator who has held the seat for 11 years.
In December, Deaton accused Warren of failing in her oversight duties of the SEC over the collapsed crypto exchange FTX and alleged that Warren has not intervened in SEC-related concerns of more than 600 XRP holders in her state.
ELIZABETH WARREN VIOLATED HER OATH
— John E Deaton (@JohnEDeaton1) December 9, 2023
As a Senator, sitting on the Banking Committee, @ewarren violated her oath. Her job is to provide and engage in actual oversight of the @SECGov.
Instead, she conspired with her close friend @GaryGensler, not only giving him the exact… https://t.co/dZr2QfN8ah
Warren has been a vocal critic of cryptocurrencies. She described the SEC's historic approval of 11 spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in January as a "wrong" decision.
The @SECgov is wrong on the law and wrong on the policy with respect to the Bitcoin ETF decision.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) January 11, 2024
If the SEC is going to let crypto burrow even deeper into our financial system, then it's more urgent than ever that crypto follow basic anti-money laundering rules.
