“Top crypto companies expanded their influence efforts in recent weeks by ponying up millions of dollars to Trump’s inaugural…. [T]he crypto firm Ripple pledged $5m of its own cryptocurrency to the inaugural, making it one of the largest donors. Ripple’s outside lobbying team includes Michael Best Strategies whose board is chaired by Trump’s ex-chief of staff Reince Priebus…. Ripple also hired power lobbyist Brian Ballard who has been a major Trump fundraiser since 2016.”
