Pro-XRP attorney John Deaton has made good on his promise to support customers of cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase by seeking to serve as a friend of the court in the exchange’s legal battle against the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
In a filing dated April 19 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Deaton requested to represent 4,701 Coinbase customers as amicus counsel in the ongoing lawsuit that began in June 2023.
According to the filing, “I am admitted or otherwise authorized to practice in this court and I appear in this case as counsel for 4,701 Coinbase Customers.”
During a podcast interview with Fox Business journalist Eleanor Terrett on April 18, Deaton explained that his motivation for supporting Coinbase customers is to protect regular individuals who are trying to “create a little wealth” in their lives.
“This is not about cryptocurrency, this is about freedom. This is about upward mobility, this is about people who want a fair chance, people who want to create a little wealth. They are not trying to get rich, they are not crypto enthusiasts,” he declared.
This development comes after Coinbase filed an interlocutory appeal in its lawsuit against the SEC just days after the court denied its motion to dismiss the entire lawsuit.
The interlocutory appeal revolves around the question of whether an investment contract requires something contractual, according to Coinbase’s chief legal officer, Paul Grewal.
Deaton has previously submitted several requests to serve as amicus counsel in support of the crypto community. In September 2023, he filed his notice of appearance as a friend of the court in the LBRY v SEC lawsuit.
However, his most notable involvement was in 2021 when he filed an amicus brief on behalf of over 6,000 XRP holders in the lawsuit between the SEC and Ripple Labs.
In more recent news, Deaton has been campaigning for a Senate position, aiming to secure the seat currently held by crypto skeptic Senator Elizabeth Warren.
On April 15, it was reported that Deaton had raised more funds than Senator Warren in the first quarter of this year for his bid to take her Senate spot, raising $1.36 million compared to Warren’s $1.09 million.
Just over a month ago, Deaton announced to his 324,100 followers on XRP that he had invested $500,000 of his own money into the Senate campaign. However, he called on his followers to help raise an additional $500,000.