Congressman Pushes to Ban Political Meme Coins with New MEME Act

• The TRUMP token controversy, involving reports of scams targeting new investors, motivated Liccardo’s legislative proposal for meme coins.
• The bill also demands the forfeiture of gains from such tokens, including any profits linked to former President Trump, intensifying political tensions.

Rep. Sam Liccardo has proposed a new bill to limit the development and marketing of political-themed crypto tokens. The MEME Act, as the bill is titled, aims to bar elected representatives and government officials from participating in these digital tokens.

Liccardo’s bill comes as there is increasing alarm over the proliferation of political meme coins, which some believe are being used to mislead investors and shape public opinion.

Will Political Meme Coins Be Banned Under the MEME Act?

The legislation, if passed, would bar public officials, including members of Congress and the President, from initiating or sponsoring political crypto tokens. Such actions could attract civil and criminal sanctions. The legislation also applies to other fiscal instruments like securities and commodities, subjecting them to the same limitation on use for politics.

Liccardo referred to recent scandals as the impetus for his legislative push. The TRUMP token, a crypto tied to the former president, was an instant lightning rod in the debate surrounding political coins. Reports suggested that almost half of its investors were new to the crypto space and were susceptible to scams. Scammers took advantage of the buzz around the token, causing some investors to lose substantial amounts of money.

“That wasn’t my plan when I ran for office, I can assure you,” Liccardo recently said, noting that he had not expected to have to address cryptocurrency legislation when he became politicized. He continued and chastised former President Donald Trump’s use of the token, saying,

[Trump’s] behavior is so self-evidently unethical that it raises the question why isn’t there a clear enough prohibition [on political meme coins].

Crypto Industry Fires Back

The bill has generated controversy in political and financial circles. They say that regulations are needed to avoid fraud and safeguard investors against deceptive financial schemes associated with political personalities. Crypto experts like Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin have also in the past voiced concerns over the possible risks of political meme coins.

Others worry these digital resources may also serve as a vehicle for financial manipulation, especially since word breaks out about foreign governments exploring similar cryptocurrency initiatives. In spite of these issues, the MEME Act has a difficult path ahead. The bill currently does not have bipartisan support, with Republican members of Congress hesitant about regulations that might restrict the wider crypto market.

Although Liccardo has managed to find co-sponsors within his own party, opposition from GOP members has left the passage of the bill in doubt. The bill also requires Trump to surrender any gains from the TRUMP token, adding to political tensions around the proposal. Some view the MEME Act as a first step toward more crypto regulation, while others consider it an overreach aimed at particular political targets.

With talks ongoing, the MEME Act has put a national spotlight on the intersection of politics and crypto. Whether the bill moves forward or not, its introduction has placed the subject of political meme coins at the center of Washington’s regulatory conversation.