Crypto Firms Take on DOJ: A Battle Over Developer Freedom!

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Ah, the beautiful, chaotic world of crypto. A place where regulations and the Department of Justice (DOJ) seem to play a never-ending game of “who’s got the bigger hammer?” On July 7, in the midst of this techno-turmoil, a new coalition of crypto advocacy groups—so enthusiastic they almost spilled their coffee—decided to fight back. They are accusing the DOJ of misusing a law provision that’s as blurry as a hangover after an all-night coding session. And who’s leading the charge? None other than Michael Lewellen, a developer whose only crime was trying to publish a non-custodial crypto protocol. Oops, sorry Mike, apparently just *writing code* is now a federal offense! 🤔

Crypto Firm Coalition Against the DOJ: A Match Made in Blockchain Heaven

Enter Paradigm, the latest hero in this saga, who bravely announced on Monday that they’ve joined the fray. Not alone, of course. They’ve got a whole squad backing them up, including the DeFi Education Fund, the Blockchain Association, Crypto Council for Innovation, the Digital Chamber, the Solana Policy Institute, the Bitcoin Policy Institute, and the Uniswap Foundation. What a party, right? It’s like the Avengers, but for crypto developers. Together, they’ve thrown their collective weight behind Lewellen, saying, “Hey DOJ, stop being so dramatic!”

Now, what exactly did Lewellen do? He published code. Yep, that’s it. He didn’t create a money-transmitting circus. He just made some software, which he wanted to be as freely available as the air we breathe. But, of course, the DOJ had other plans. They saw this and decided, “Hmm, let’s call it money transmission, because why not?” The absurdity is real.

Why Are These Crypto Firms Throwing Shade at the DOJ?

Oh, you want to know why they’re upset? Simple. The DOJ, in their infinite wisdom, decided to weaponize section 1960 of Title 18 of the US Code. A law so outdated it might as well have been written on stone tablets. This section allegedly makes it illegal to transmit money without proper licensing. But what the DOJ is doing here is prosecuting P2P crypto software, even when developers publish open-source code—because apparently the idea of transparency is too much for them to handle. 🙄

And guess what? The plot thickens! Developers, who did everything right—consulted lawyers, followed the rules, even checked with the government—are now staring down the barrel of potential indictments. Remember Roman Storm? Yeah, that guy’s in trouble too. But let’s not get bogged down in the details. Paradigm’s got a bone to pick, and they’re not holding back. They said it best:

“We filed the brief because the government’s position is not just wrong on the law; it threatens the future of neutral crypto infrastructure in the United States and will send innovation fleeing overseas.” Classic Paradigm—no subtlety here, just pure fire. 🔥

Crypto Developers Demand Legal Clarity (Because Apparently, That’s a Thing)

The coalition is making an impassioned plea to the government: can you please, for the love of code, clarify your laws? Because right now, developers are like those poor souls who get pulled over for “not following the rules,” but the rules are so vague even the officer doesn’t know what they are. If things keep going like this, developers will be ducking out of the US faster than you can say “blockchain.” If the government doesn’t clear up this mess, it could mean the end of innovation in the land of the free (and home of the confused). 😬

Final Thought: Is Anyone Really Surprised?

So, here’s the bottom line. If the US government doesn’t figure out what’s legal and what’s a federal crime in the world of crypto, people will start to lose faith. Developers are already packing their bags and heading overseas to countries where the laws make sense (and don’t change every time someone looks at a piece of code). So, good luck, DOJ. Keep this up, and soon the only thing left in the US crypto scene will be your unregulated chaos. Who’s laughing now? 😂

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2025-07-09 14:22