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Hours before joining<\/span> progressives to block a crypto bill that critics said was a handout to President Donald Trump, a top Senate Democrat was lobbying her colleagues to pass the legislation.<\/p>\n Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., a centrist who leads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, privately urged fellow Democrats to support advancing a crypto bill that would have created a regulatory framework for the industry, according to reporting in Politico<\/a>.<\/p>\n Her pleas fell on deaf ears, however, as progressives including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., mounted a public campaign against the bill. The critics said the bill would allow President Donald Trump to add to the $1.4 billion in crypto profits<\/a> he pocketed last year.<\/p>\n When it came time for the final vote, Gillibrand joined all Democrats in voting against a motion to advance the bill. Four Republicans also voted against the motion, which fell far short of the 60 votes needed to proceed to a full debate. The final tally was 49\u201350.<\/p>\n Gillibrand\u2019s flip-flop reflected the bind that Trump has placed on moderate Democrats during his second term. Many of those centrists previously backed crypto-friendly regulations, but the historic scale of Trump\u2019s profits<\/a> on his meme coin<\/a> and other crypto ventures has made them reluctant to publicly side with the industry.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe deserve to know why she tried to get her colleagues to rubber-stamp this corrupt crypto deal.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n Gillibrand\u2019s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement, the progressive group Demand Progress criticized her for previously trying to rally support for the bill.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile Sen. Gillibrand switched her support for the bill at the last minute, we deserve to know why she tried to get her colleagues to rubber-stamp this corrupt crypto deal, particularly at a time when she is claiming to oppose Trump\u2019s corruption,\u201d said the group\u2019s corporate power policy adviser, Ella Fanger.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Gillibrand has long been one of the crypto industry\u2019s most outspoken supporters in the Senate. Before the vote, an aide argued in a written statement that it would be best to proceed to debate on the Clarity Act, stating<\/a>, \u201cSenator Gillibrand would relish the chance to debate real ethics reforms on the floor \u2014 in full view of the public, seven weeks out from the midterms.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump and Senate Republicans tried to win over the dozen or so Senate Democrats who have proven friendly to the crypto industry in the past with concessions they said would rein in the president\u2019s crypto ventures.<\/p>\n\n