- Bernie Sanders calls Fairshake’s $30 million Ohio ad spend political corruption.
- Terrett called Fairshake’s $30M push a “revenge spend,” noting Brown’s key Senate role at stake.
- Fairshake spent $41 million opposing Sherrod Brown in the 2024 election cycle.
Senator Bernie Sanders has accused crypto billionaires of trying to buy an election after the largest super PAC, Fairshake, launched a $30 million campaign against Ohio Senate candidate Sherrod Brown.
Sanders called it “oligarchy and political corruption,” pointing out the spending began just days after Senate Democrats blocked the CLARITY Act.
Timing Behind The Spend
Fairshake’s ad and mailer campaign against Brown began after the CLARITY Act failed a Senate procedural vote on September 15. Journalist Eleanor Terrett described the move as a “revenge spend,” saying Brown could chair or serve as ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee if he wins back his old seat.
Fairshake’s Track Record Against Brown
This is not the first time Fairshake has targeted Brown. The super PAC spent $41 million opposing him in 2024. Fairshake and two affiliated groups currently hold a combined $120.4 million, and the group has said it plans to announce further spending against congressional candidates from both parties this cycle. Brown’s opponent, Senator Jon Husted, already holds roughly a $30 million advertising advantage in the race.
Not Everyone In Crypto Agrees With The Strategy
The move has drawn pushback even from within the industry. Industry insider Austin Campbell argued Fairshake should stay out of the fight entirely, calling the CLARITY Act vote fundamentally a dispute between Democrats and the Trump administration rather than a referendum on crypto itself.
He warned that punishing Democrats who voted no could convince the party that crypto will attack them regardless of their position, turning what has been a bipartisan issue into a partisan one.
Brown’s Own Position
Brown, who has dialed back his public criticism of crypto in recent years, has said he has “not moderated” his stance but has little interest in going further than acknowledging the industry’s economic role. Whether that positioning survives a renewed multimillion-dollar ad campaign against him may become one of the more closely watched dynamics of the Ohio Senate race.
Related: Coinbase CEO Pushes Back on Blame for CLARITY Act Senate Failure
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