Mitch Perry
Libertarian candidate Alison Foxall is accepting campaign contributions via digital bitcoin currency.
The House District 72 hopeful is one of a number of political candidates who have solicited contributions from the cryptocurrency, which was first created in 2009.
Rand Paul accepted bitcoins during his 2016 presidential campaign, as has Colorado Democratic Rep. Jared Polis and fellow Florida libertarian Adrian Wyllie, who ran for governor in Florida in 2014.
A Republican (and former libertarian) candidate for Senate in Kansas is also accepting bitcoins, as was another candidate in Kansas, until that state’s Government Ethics Commission (GEC) ruled last month that the currency is just too secretive and untraceable to be allowed as a form of campaign contributions in either state and local elections.
“Bitcoin is a digital currency,” Kansas GEC executive director Mark Skoglund said. “There is no physical manifestation of this currency in any way. It’s just alphanumeric characters that exist only online. It is not backed by any government. The value is subjective and highly volatile. However, there are millions of people who utilize bitcoin.”
The Federal Election Commission issued an advisory opinion in 2014, allowing bitcoin donations as in-kind gifts. The committee that received the contribution in bitcoin would report its value based on the bitcoin’s market value at the time the contribution was received.
The 29-year-old Foxall will face off against Republican James Buchanan and the winner of the Democratic primary between Margaret Good and Ruta Jouniari on Feb. 13. The Democratic primary takes place Tuesday.
Foxall raised $4,497 in her first five weeks of fundraising. The next financial report is due at the end of this week.
The election became necessary after GOP incumbent Alex Miller stepped down from the seat in early September.
Foxall was not immediately available for comment.
One comment
James M. Ray
November 29, 2017 at 5:03 pm
I have had a physical manifestation of 5/1000ths of a Bitcoin in my wallet, in paper form just like the Federal Reserve’s green asswipe, for about 5 years, during which time it has increased in value from about fifty cents to about fifty bucks. Oh, and Alison Foxall rocks, so thanks for covering her campaign.
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