Blockchain Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to cryptocurrency advocacy, is filing a second amicus brief in support of banned crypto mixer Tornado Cash.
In a new announcement, the group say it is filing an amicus brief in favor of Coin Center’s lawsuit against the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), arguing that the regulatory body banning a tool that anyone can use violates American values.
As stated by Kristin Smith, the CEO of the Blockchain Association,
“It is critical to recognize that Tornado Cash is simply a tool. Punishing the tool itself simply because it can be used by anyone, including bad actors, goes against the values upon which this country was founded.
Blockchain Association stands behind Coin Center and advocates for the responsible and lawful use of blockchain technology. Regulatory actions should only target malicious parties who misuse this tool for illegal purposes.”
Coin Center, a non-profit policy-focused crypto research firm, first filed suit against OFAC in October 2022, saying the regulator had “exceeded its legal authority” when it approved the cryptomixer in August 2022 and that Tornado Cash does not control over how it was applied.
In April, the Blockchain Association also filed an amicus brief in favor of Tornado Cash in OFAC’s lawsuit against the digital asset mixer, saying it was “just a tool” and that authorities should instead focus on prosecuting individuals who use it in an unauthorized way.
“The problem is simple: Tornado Cash is simply a tool, and OFAC’s attempt to penalize a self-executing, privacy-preserving piece of software is a serious oversight that will have far-reaching implications for the privacy of Americans.
As with other tools, we prosecute those who use these tools for unauthorized activities, rather than penalizing or banning the tools themselves. The same approach should apply to OFAC’s approach to Tornado Cash.”
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