PANews reported on October 16 that according to Cointelegraph, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and crypto lawyer John Deaton had a heated debate on cryptocurrency policy in the first debate for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Deaton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts, accused his Democratic opponent, incumbent Senator Deaton, of focusing on building an "anti-cryptocurrency army" instead of prioritizing other issues affecting the state's middle and lower classes during the October 15 debate. Warren claimed that she had "no problem" with those who wanted to buy and sell cryptocurrencies, but wanted to ensure that the industry "followed the same rules as banks and stockbrokers" - namely consumer protection and anti-terrorism laws.
Warren added that she believes cryptocurrencies are often used by terrorists, drug traffickers, and gangsters to finance their illegal activities. However, Deaton claimed that banking access is not a priority for Warren — he pointed out that during a Senate Banking Committee hearing in December, Warren spoke with JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon and her questioning focused on crypto crime, not bank failures. Warren countered that 90% of the funds supporting Deaton's campaign to remove her came from the crypto industry, and they expect a "return on investment" if he enters the Senate.
Democrats have controlled Massachusetts' two U.S. Senate seats since 2013, and Deaton is trying to break the Democratic streak of 11 consecutive years.
