Cops Can't Agree on CLARITY: Sheriffs Want It Killed, Chiefs Want It Signed 🤝

The CLARITY Act is pulling law enforcement in two directions as it inches toward a possible Senate vote, with the National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) urging leaders to reject the bill while the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) endorsed its latest draft. The split comes as U.S. President Donald Trump weighs a bipartisan ethics proposal that could clear the way for a floor vote as early as next week.

In a letter addressed to Senate Leaders John Thune and Chuck Schumer, the NSA raised concerns about the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA) provision, which protects decentralized finance (DeFi) developers. The group argued the provision could enable illicit actors to use platforms that obscure crypto transactions and warned it carries "significant law enforcement and public safety risks." The Sheriffs further cautioned that exempting DeFi developers from key TradFi-style obligations could hamper efforts to detect illicit finance before it occurs.

On the other side of the debate, the MCCA endorsed the revised CLARITY Act in a separate letter to Senator Tim Scott and Senator Elizabeth Warren, citing new provisions that address prior concerns from the law enforcement community. The Chiefs specifically pointed to additional law enforcement provisions in the new title and noted that state and local enforcement agencies are now included in Sections 10203, 10204, and 10309, stating the inclusion "represents a meaningful step toward improving the ability of law enforcement to investigate financial cri