Ex-Ripple board member, Biden adviser joins Harris campaign: Report

One of United States President Joe Biden’s senior economic advisers and a former member of Ripple Labs’ board of directors will be leaving the White House to join Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign.

In an Aug. 5 notice, President Biden said Gene Sperling would leave his administration, where he had worked as a senior adviser since 2021. Reports suggested that Sperling will join Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign with roughly three months until the presidential election, with leading candidates including herself and Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Sperling joined Ripple’s board in 2015 after serving as an economic adviser under Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. He served in the Biden administration starting in 2021. At the time of publication, Ripple’s website did not list the economic adviser as one of its nine-member board of directors.

Advisers knowledgeable on crypto?

Sperling’s departure was the latest reported move of personnel from the White House to support Harris’ presidential bid since President Biden announced on July 21 that he would not run for reelection. David Plouffe, a former member of Binance’s Global Advisory Board, will also reportedly support Vice President Harris’ campaign. Anita Dunn, who attended a roundtable with crypto industry representatives, will reportedly join a Democratic-focused political action committee.

It’s unclear if any of the advisers will have roles related to cryptocurrency or blockchain, as the Harris campaign is reportedly considering taking a public position on the technology. Certain campaign officials were expected to participate in a roundtable event sometime this week, which will include representatives from crypto firms and US lawmakers.

Many experts expect crypto to be a wedge issue in the 2024 US election between leading party candidates Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump, who spoke at the Bitcoin 2024 conference on July 27, made many pledges to attendees regarding his administration’s plans for crypto and blockchain.

In contrast, the Harris campaign — roughly two weeks old — has not provided a clear position on digital assets. The Vice President is expected to announce her running mate by Aug. 6, and potential candidates include Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.