February 2024 - cypherpunks - lists.cpunks.org

BitLicense Honesty Video
by Gunnar Larson 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

BitLicense Honesty Video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0wn9TctRNs/?igsh=NW5ndTgydjM5ZWNq

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Fwd: [EXTERNAL] Re: [OpenRecords] Request FOIL-2023-836-00688 Closed - Mayor Eric Adams and Bitcoin
by Gunnar Larson 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

They are saying below, we may need to go to the Supreme Court. "...may be appealed to the Supreme Court in a proceeding for review pursuant to CPLR Article 78." Gunnar ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: FoilAppeals (DOF) <FoilAppeals(a)finance.nyc.gov> Date: Fri, Dec 22, 2023, 3:46 PM Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] Re: [OpenRecords] Request FOIL-2023-836-00688 Closed - Mayor Eric Adams and Bitcoin To: Gunnar Larson <g(a)xny.io> Cc: Best, Joan (DOF) <BestJ(a)finance.nyc.gov>, FOIL <DOF-FOIL(a)finance.nyc.gov > Dear Gunnar Larson, I received your appeal email below regarding FOIL 2023-836-00688, which was submitted on July 16, 2023, and acknowledged by DOF on July 21, 2023. After informing you of extensions, on December 15, 2023, DOF’s Records Access Officer sent the response below informing you that “a diligent search for records responsive to your request did not locate any such records. Accordingly, your request is denied.” On December 15, you sent this appeal. I have reviewed your appeal. DOF’s FOIL office conducted a diligent search for responsive records of the New York City Department of Finance. As the December 15 email explained, the search did not identify any responsive records of the Department of Finance. To further address your question below, DOF’s Records Access Officer did not withhold or redact any responsive records. As a result, I affirm the determination of the DOF Records Access Officer. Pursuant to Public Officers Law §89(4)(b), a denial of a FOIL appeal may be appealed to the Supreme Court in a proceeding for review pursuant to CPLR Article 78. Thank you, Dara Dara Jaffee FOIL Appeals Officer Assistant Commissioner, Legal Affairs NYC Department of Finance 375 Pearl Street, 30th Floor New York, NY 10038 FoilAppeals(a)finance.nyc.gov *From:* Gunnar Larson <g(a)xny.io> *Sent:* Friday, December 15, 2023 3:11 PM *To:* FOIL <DOF-FOIL(a)finance.nyc.gov>; FoilAppeals (DOF) < FoilAppeals(a)finance.nyc.gov> *Cc:* cypherpunks(a)cpunks.org; Harris, Adrienne A (DFS) < Adrienne.Harris(a)dfs.ny.gov>; letitia.james(a)ag.ny.gov; Corey Johnson < district3(a)council.nyc.gov>; Reader, Shaun <sreader(a)curtis.com>; PressOffice(a)cityhall.nyc.gov *Subject:* [EXTERNAL] Re: [OpenRecords] Request FOIL-2023-836-00688 Closed - Mayor Eric Adams and Bitcoin You don't often get email from g(a)xny.io. Learn why this is important <https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification> *CAUTION:* This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Forward suspect email to phish(a)oti.nyc.gov as an attachment (Click the More button, then forward as attachment). Dear Department of Finance (DOF): xNY.io - Bank.org kindly elects to appeal this response. xNY.io - Bank.org aims to understand if DOF is suggesting no New York City records are available. Or, if DOF has redacted in part or withheld due diligence records in entirety concerning "Mayor Adams to Receive First Paycheck in Cryptocurrency... Paycheck to Be Automatically Converted Into Bitcoin and Ethereum" quoted by NYC.gov. >From our research, there are several New York City records available. For example: https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/041-22/mayor-adams-receive-fir… Furthermore, New York City's press office has said "Cryptocurrencies are at the forefront of Web3innovations and can bring greater accessibility to financial services." Mayor Eric Adams also touted New York City's approach to digital asset innovation on Bloomberg radio: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-03/mayor-elect-eric-adams-t… According to Bloomberg, "New York City Mayor-Elect Eric Adams said he wanted to turn New York into a crypto-friendly city and wagered a “friendly competition” with the mayor of Miami, who was the first to set up a so-called CityCoin cryptocurrency. “He has a MiamiCoin that is doing very well -- we’re going to look in the direction to carry that out,” Adams said in a Wednesday interview on Bloomberg Radio. He vowed to “look at what’s preventing the growth of Bitcoin..."" As a matter of urgency, xNY.io - Bank.org kindly requests DOF's response by December 31, 2023. Warm regards, Gunnar Gunnar Larson -- Gunnar Larson - xNY.io - Bank.org MSc - Digital Currency MBA - Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ip) G(a)xNY.io +1-917-580-8053 New York, New York 10001 On Fri, Dec 15, 2023, 12:23 PM <donotreply(a)records.nyc.gov> wrote: The Department of Finance (DOF) has *closed* your FOIL request FOIL-2023-836-00688 <https://a860-openrecords.nyc.gov/request/view/FOIL-2023-836-00688> for the following reasons: - A diligent search for records responsive to your request did not locate any such records. Accordingly, your request is denied. You may appeal the decision to deny access to material that was redacted in part or withheld in entirety by contacting the agency's FOIL Appeals Officer: foilappeals(a)finance.nyc.gov <foilappeals(a)finance.nyc.gov?subject=FOIL-2023-836-00688%20-%20Appeal> within 30 days. Please find the attached memo with reference footnotes. -- March 10, 2023 BY ELECTRONIC MAIL Ms. Camille Joseph Varlack Office of the Mayor of New York City City Hall Park, 260 Broadway New York, NY 10007 United States PressOffice(a)CityHall.NYC.gov Re: Mayor Eric Adams NYCCoin Touting Dear Ms. Joseph Varlack: Today’s memo is to kindly submit xNY.io - Bank.org's inquiry into Mayor Eric Adams' promotion of NYCCoin. The federal securities laws are clear that any celebrity or individual who promotes digital assets must disclose the nature, source and amount of compensation they received in exchange for the promotion. As a matter of ethics, risk and compliance associated with digital asset innovation, xNY.io asks if NYCCoin promotion by the Mayor of New York City damaged the market for the xNY digital asset (by, for example, devaluing it through parody or sealed via embossed criticism). xNY.io - Bank.org concerns made above have evidentiary support to interlocking director and officer conflicts recognized by the Department of Justice as potential threats that stifle individual and corporate freedom. Ms. Joseph Varlack, as a matter relating to working at one of the world's most ethical companies, famous for risk management and corporate governance, and as an internationally recognized Blockchain Scholar, I must adhere to federal securities laws. As such, I classify Mayor Adams as an individual who promoted the digital asset NYCCoin and must disclose the nature, scope, and amount of compensation associated. A failure to disclose this information may violate the anti-touting provisions of the federal securities laws. Mayor Adams' making these endorsements may also be liable for potential violations of the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, for participating in an unregistered offer and sale of securities, and for acting as unregistered brokers. xNY.io - Bank.org respectfully requests the Office of the Mayor of New York City to respond to this request by Wednesday March, 15 2023 by Noon EST. Respectfully yours with appreciation, Gunnar Larson - xNY.io - Bank.org MSc - Digital Currency MBA - Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ip) G(a)xNY.io +1-917-580-8053 ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: <donotreply(a)records.nyc.gov> Date: Fri, Jul 21, 2023, 10:22 AM Subject: [OpenRecords] Request FOIL-2023-836-00688 Acknowledged To: <g(a)xny.io> The Department of Finance (DOF) has acknowledged your FOIL request FOIL-2023-836-00688. You can expect a response on or about Tuesday, October 17, 2023. Additional Information: Hello, we are extending your request because our office needs more time to fulfill your request. We are finding and reviewing your requested records and you should hear from us by the date indicated above. We appreciate your patience as we subject each page of each record to legal review while processing other FOIL requests.Thank you for your continued patience. Please visit FOIL-2023-836-00688 to view additional information and take any necessary action. Your request FOIL-2023-836-00688 has been successfully submitted to the Department of Finance (DOF). The details of your request are shown below. Request Title: Mayor Eric Adams and Bitcoin Request Description: Dear Madam or Sir: Mayor Adams announced paychecks will automatically be converted into cryptocurrency via Coinbase, a secure online platform for buying, selling, transferring, and storing digital currency. https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/041-22/mayor-adams-receive-fir… xNY.io kindly requests access to records concerning the payment structure related to this payment vehicle. Additionally, we would like any records concerning the City’s due diligence of the online payment platform's compliance to New York State investigation. Thank you, Gunnar Larson 917-580-8053 Requester's Contact Information Name: Gunnar Larson Title: Not provided Organization: Not provided Email: g(a)xny.io Phone Number: Not provided Fax Number: Not provided Street Address (line 1): 406 West 25th Street Street Address (line 2): Not provided City: New York State: NY Zip Code: 10001 You can view the request and take any necessary action at the following webpage: https://a860-openrecords.nyc.gov/request/view/FOIL-2023-836-00688

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911 Call Scrutiny Should Not Be Used To Identify Suspects
by Gunnar Larson 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

911 Call Scrutiny Should Not Be Used To Identify Suspects <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1793107?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> Though the use of 911 call analysis to identify suspects continues to spread across the country, this scientifically unproven method opens the door to wrongful convictions, so prosecutors should review investigations that relied on the technique, and lawmakers should ban it nationwide, say Miriam Krinsky at Fair and Just Prosecution and Isabelle Cohn at the Innocence Project. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1793107?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1793107?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…>

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Seattle Settles BLM Protesters' Police Brutality Suit For $10M
by Gunnar Larson 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

Seattle Settles BLM Protesters' Police Brutality Suit For $10M <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1790214?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> By Rachel Riley The city of Seattle has agreed to a $10 million settlement to end a lawsuit brought by more than 50 protesters who say they were brutalized by its police force during Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the summer of 2020. 3 documents attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1790214?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1790214?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…>

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Birmingham, Ala., Hit with $4.5M Verdict Over Police Shooting
by Gunnar Larson 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

Birmingham, Ala., Hit with $4.5M Verdict Over Police Shooting <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1793172?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> By Jonathan Capriel An Alabama federal jury hit the city of Birmingham with a $4.5 million verdict over a fatal police shooting, finding that a city officer violated the constitutional rights of two people when he fired upon them while they were immobilized in a vehicle at the end of a car chase. Verdict attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1793172?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1793172?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…>

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High Court Will Review Okla. Inmate's Innocence Claim
by Gunnar Larson 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

High Court Will Review Okla. Inmate's Innocence Claim <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1788412?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> By Katie Buehler The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review the case of an Oklahoma death row inmate who defense attorneys and the state's attorney general agree was wrongfully convicted of the 1997 killing of an Oklahoma City man because prosecutors failed to turn over critical information about their key witness. 4 documents attached | Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1788412?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1788412?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…>

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ACLU Atty On How To Protect Civil Liberties In The AI Era
by Gunnar Larson 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

ACLU Atty On How To Protect Civil Liberties In The AI Era <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1792584?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> By Hannah Albarazi Because artificial intelligence and algorithmic systems often operate in the shadows, there's a new need for legislation, regulation and enforcement to ensure the technology doesn't undercut civil liberties by engaging in discrimination in housing, education or employment, according to Cody Venzke, senior policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1792584?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1792584?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…>

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3 BigLaw Firms Guide Trans Rights Groups In Pending Merger
by Gunnar Larson 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

3 BigLaw Firms Guide Trans Rights Groups In Pending Merger <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1789230?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> By Alison Knezevich A trio of large law firms are providing pro bono representation to help two national transgender civil rights organizations navigate a planned merger that the groups' leaders say will amplify their voices as they advocate for trans people across the country. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1789230?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1789230?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…>

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Pushing To Make The Formerly Incarcerated A Protected Class
by Gunnar Larson 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

Pushing To Make The Formerly Incarcerated A Protected Class <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1791330?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> By Jack Karp After a pair of formerly incarcerated activists helped convince local leaders in Atlanta to extend anti-discrimination protections to people with criminal records by making them a legally protected class, they and others are now working to get more cities — and eventually maybe the federal government — to do the same. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1791330?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1791330?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…>

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How Court Fees Can Keep Poor NYers From Inheriting Homes
by Gunnar Larson 03 Feb '24

03 Feb '24

How Court Fees Can Keep Poor NYers From Inheriting Homes <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1788376?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> By Marco Poggio Inheriting property in New York means going through the state surrogate’s court system, where filing fees can run more than $1,000. While state law allows low-income residents to have their fees waived, legal aid attorneys say that courts sometimes refuse to apply it. Read full article » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1788376?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…> | Save to favorites » <https://www.law360.com/access-to-justice/articles/1788376?nl_pk=153d4a8a-6f…>

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