Representative Mark Warden Utilizing Bitcoin for Campaign Donations

[evoorhees]

Mark Warden is releasing this press release in New Hampshire...


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Representative Mark Warden Utilizing Bitcoin for Campaign Donations

Goffstown, New Hampshire - August 11, 2012 - State Representative Mark Warden recently added a Bitcoin donation system to his campaign website (www.markwarden.com), the first state representative in New Hampshire to utilize this emerging technology. According to Warden, Bitcoin will allow online transactions without the need for any third-party approval.

“This is a cutting-edge technology that is market based, voluntary, and extremely innovative. I have constituents and vendors who prefer this medium of exchange, so it’s natural to want to respond to the marketplace,” said Warden.

Bitcoin allows users to make transactions with an alternative, decentralized form of currency that is not subject to the inflationary whims of the Federal Reserve or other central banks. Mark Warden is a Republican State Representative running for re-election in Hillsborough County’s District 39, encompassing the towns of Goffstown, Weare, and Deering.

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[note: you can donate to him at this address: 1B39L3wqnbVpRa9oHMWY2F6FsZJJAgJQX6  ]

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1713478704

[ben-abuya]

This is awesome! I've heard of one or two candidates trying this before, but Mark is a current State Rep and will probably get re-elected. This is a really exciting development.



http://www.markwarden.com/page/contribute-campaign

[unclescrooge]

awesome

[waspoza]

I live in EU and i hate politicians, but i will send the guy some coins. Looks like hes smart (cuz he clearly understands bitcoin) and have balls.

[niooron]

State law requires us to request the following information from people who donate $100 or more (cumulatively) to the campaign: Name, employer, city/town where employed.

So what happens if someone donates more than 10 bitcoins?

[P4man]

I also wonder about the legal implications of this. Like, is it legal for him to accept foreign donations?

[giszmo]

State law requires us to request the following information from people who donate $100 or more (cumulatively) to the campaign: Name, employer, city/town where employed.

So what happens if someone donates more than 10 bitcoins?

I just wanted to ask the same question. Will he return it to sender? What if I send 5 now and 5 later? Aka what if the total BTC donated exceeds 10BTC?

[ShireSilver]

It almost certainly isn't legal for him to accept donations from foreigners, but how is anyone going to know?

If you do donate more than $100 worth, you should include your name, employer, and city/town as directed. Of course that can't readily be enforced, but since his donation address is public his opponents could check it for large donations that don't get disclosed. (In other words, if you are going to donate a lot or are foreign, donate it in small chunks from varying addresses.)

Knowing Mark (a really good guy), any donations he cannot legally use and can't figure out how to return would get donated to worthy causes.

[marcus_of_augustus]

This is great ... and not the least because it has potential for serious lulz written all over it.

What happens if he gets some of Bitcoinica's stolen loot or god forbid an anon. donation from a Silk Road dealer, Pirate Bay, or etc?

 

[proudhon]

Wow!

[niko]

A small step for a poltician, a huge leap for the mankind. I wonder about the legal implications. How are donations usually collected in the US at the state level? Can I just drop some cash in a box, or is there always some paperwork involved?

[bg002h]

Bitcoin is too much of a pain for him to use, I fear. I think he will realize soon that anyone can vet his donations and demand an account of all those who donated more than the set limit. He may not even realize if someone (possibly an adversary) sends in too much...and if he doesn't notice, any Joe Schmoe can prove he violated campaign funding laws.

[FreeMoney]

He could set up a 'generate me a new donation address' button thing if he wanted to be a little safer. I'm interested to see what if anything anyone does anyway though. What are his opponents like?

[bg002h]

He could set up a 'generate me a new donation address' button thing if he wanted to be a little safer. I'm interested to see what if anything anyone does anyway though. What are his opponents like?

+1 that is wise. And ask his donators to not reuse the same donation addresses.

Some of the sites accepting Bitcoin donations on the thread below have utilized the single address for all donations approach...I looked at the block chain for a few of them...no one has gotten much by way of Bitcoin donations...the biggest I saw was 700 or so.

[btctraderr]

I'm not a US citizen or resident but I'll donate a few BTC- hope this widens bitcoins exposure.

[ydenys]

Well, pretty horrible site/photos, but he’ll get some of my coins for this move despite being a politician. ( below $100 at the moment of donation )

[subject]

It looks like someone just donated 100BTC

https://blockchain.info/address/1B39L3wqnbVpRa9oHMWY2F6FsZJJAgJQX6

[hxtop]

that wonderful news for everyone!
good work!

[Bitcoin Oz]

This is great news even though I dont support politicians 

[Portnoy]

He may not even realize if someone (possibly an adversary) sends in too much...and if he doesn't notice, any Joe Schmoe can prove he violated campaign funding laws.

This was one of the first things I thought of.  His opponents may not even have to contribute much if any if he got enough donations that way.
And if he gets elected they could bring it up as an issue if it was expedient for them...
and didn't Chuck Schumer declare Bitcoin to be something close to evil last year?    

It could potentially be enough of scandal to get some interesting main stream news coverage, which is perhaps why a lot of you
bitcoiners, who perhaps feel any public attention is good attention, are tossing a coin or 2 into the pot.