The digital currency Bitcoin is too "libertarian" and reliant on an "Ayn Rand schtick," Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said in an exchange with campaign tech aide Teddy Goff published by WikiLeaks on Tuesday.
Podesta made the statement after meeting Stan Stalnaker, a founding director and chief strategy officer for the digital currency "Ven," at a Clinton fundraiser in London. Stalnaker followed up with a May 13, 2015, email to Podesta pitching Ven as an option for the campaign.
"As we discussed, Bitcoin is being used on the Republican side and could be a useful tool, but we think Ven is a better choice for your campaign due to its environmental benefits, identity metrics and closed loop status," Stalnaker wrote.
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Podesta forwarded the email to Goff with an explanation. "I don't send all the crazy ideas I hear about at fundraisers your way, but this seems interesting and legit. Essentially digital currency with a green angle as opposed to bitcoin's libertarian Ayn Rand schtick," Podesta wrote. "Would you get some members of your team to meet with Stan when he's in NYC later this month to see if it's worth a real conversation?"
Goff replied three days later, writing, "Apologies for the slow reply – yes, of course, feel free to introduce and we will set up a meeting."
Bitcoin was introduced in 2008 as a digital currency enabling untraceable transactions. Ven, which has experienced greater normalization for facilitating regular transactions, was introduced as a Facebook application in 2007. Ven's website boasts that its members have helped to "put over 25,000 acres of Amazon rainforest under protection" by purchasing carbon assets. The Clinton campaign has yet to enable contributions from either currency.
The exchange was made public by WikiLeaks, which has published more than 17,000 emails illegally obtained from Podesta's inbox.
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