According to PANews, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse revealed on social media that U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis, chair of the Senate Digital Assets Subcommittee, unexpectedly canceled a scheduled meeting without proposing a new date. Lummis, known for her support of cryptocurrency, previously advocated for the Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Bill but has recently faced community scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest.
Garlinghouse stated that he is actively working in Washington to advance legislation on stablecoin and market structure regulation. He extended an invitation to Lummis for an online or public dialogue to discuss the goal of making the United States a hub for the crypto industry. The crypto community has noted that Lummis's son-in-law, Will Cole, is employed by Bitcoin payment company Zaprite, and her family has financial ties with venture capital firm a16z. Bitcoin supporters have criticized Garlinghouse for his previous advocacy of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), questioning his credibility.
The cancellation of the meeting has sparked discussions about the direction of U.S. crypto policy. Lummis's office has yet to respond to the concerns raised, while Ripple continues its legal battle with the SEC over the classification of XRP as a security.
