ChainCatcher news, according to CNN, a U.S. federal judge stated that she would not block the U.S. Department of Justice from deploying monitors at polling places in St. Louis, dismissing a lawsuit filed by Missouri Republican officials. It is reported that the U.S. Department of Justice can send observers to election sites in St. Louis and Texas.U.S. District Judge Sarah Pitlyk, appointed by former President Donald Trump, pointed out that a previous court agreement between the city of St. Louis and the U.S. Department of Justice allows DOJ staff to oversee whether the city's polling places comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act; in another case, the U.S. Department of Justice was allowed to have Texas election monitors remain outside polling places on election day.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin.com News, the mayor of Rockdale, Texas, Ward Rodam recently published an article in the Austin American-Statesman, outlining the important role of the Bitcoin mining industry in the local economic recovery. Mayor Rodam likened Bitcoin mining to a "digital oil well," believing it has the potential to drive economic revitalization in rural areas across Texas, with an impact comparable to the former oil boom.According to Mayor Rodam, since the closure of the city's largest employer, the Alcoa aluminum plant, in 2008, the Bitcoin mining industry has utilized the legacy energy infrastructure to inject new economic vitality into Rockdale. This is reflected in several aspects:Job Market: Bitcoin mining companies have created hundreds of jobs locally, providing residents with high-paying employment opportunities;Fiscal Revenue: Mining companies have become one of the main sources of tax revenue for Milam County and the local school district;Community Development: These companies actively participate in local charitable initiatives, including establishing scholarships, supporting police and fire departments, and sponsoring youth sports and chamber of commerce activities;Economic Investment: Bitcoin mining companies have cumulatively invested over $1 billion in Rockdale.Mayor Rodam emphasized that Bitcoin mining enterprises demonstrate deep engagement and long-term commitment to the communities in which they operate. He called on Texas lawmakers to fully recognize the positive impact of the Bitcoin mining industry and create a favorable policy environment for its development. The mayor stated, "Texas leaders should fully understand the economic benefits of Bitcoin mining. If we can provide appropriate policy support for its development, Bitcoin mining is expected to become a new growth point driving the revitalization of Texas's rural economy."

ChainCatcher news, Consensys's lawsuit against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and SEC Chairman Gary Gensler was dismissed Thursday evening in a Texas court. Consensys's lawsuit was initially filed in April and included some major news, including allegations that the SEC has launched an investigation into Ethereum and that the regulatory agency had issued a Wells notice to the company behind MetaMask. The judge stated in Thursday's ruling: "Enforcement actions do not constitute final agency actions, and the notice neither marks the completion of the agency's (i.e., SEC) decision-making process nor establishes the plaintiff's legal rights or obligations."

ChainCatcher news, a Texas federal judge dismissed the securities class action against the DeFi project Bancor protocol operators. Judge Robert Pitman agreed with the opinion of the court, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to prove that U.S. courts have jurisdiction over foreign defendants.The ruling indicates that Bancor's foreign operations are not subject to U.S. securities laws, and the plaintiffs cannot sue Bancor in the U.S. for its suspension of investment protection features. The judge also noted that Bancor and its founders do not have sufficient ties to the U.S., suggesting that the plaintiffs could file a lawsuit in an Israeli court.

ChainCatcher news, according to CryptoSlate, the Vice President of Research at Bitcoin mining company Riot Platforms, Pierre Rochard, stated that in Texas, excess electricity production caused its price to drop to $0 at one point, and Bitcoin miners were able to absorb this surplus energy, effectively stabilizing the grid.Analysis points out that Bitcoin mining is often criticized for its energy consumption and environmental impact. However, it also provides significant benefits, particularly in terms of grid stability and energy efficiency. One key advantage is that Bitcoin miners can quickly turn mining equipment on and off, responding to fluctuations in energy demand.

ChainCatcher news, the Federal Reserve issued a cease-and-desist order to the crypto-friendly bank United Texas Bank on Wednesday, citing "significant deficiencies" in the bank's compliance with anti-money laundering laws related to transactions with cryptocurrency clients, as well as other alleged illegal activities.The bank's latest quarterly report shows that it has 75 employees and manages assets of approximately $1 billion. Niko Demchuk, the legal chief of the crypto compliance firm AMLBot, told Decrypt that the impact of such cease-and-desist orders extends far beyond the recipient and its clients. He noted, "Every cease-and-desist order plays an important role in the market. Other banks will strive to gain more insights into which specific areas are not in compliance with current AML regulations to improve their own internal AML processes." Demchuk added that mentions of crypto assets will alert other banks dealing with crypto assets to review their risk management systems to ensure that all risks are considered and mitigated.

ChainCatcher news, Bitcoin mining company Cipher Mining (stock code: CIFR) announced an investment of $67.5 million to acquire a 250-acre property in West Texas, which includes a 300 MW data center, to expand its portfolio capacity to 2.5 GW.

ChainCatcher news, according to a report by Fortune magazine, the social media platform "X" stated in a brief note to employees on Thursday that its long-term office in San Francisco and global headquarters will close in two weeks on September 13 (Friday).In 2012, Twitter took over the 1 million square foot building, and shortly after Musk became the owner of Twitter two years ago, he laid off thousands of employees, auctioned off most of the furniture, and removed the large Twitter sign from the exterior of the building. Since then, several floors of the building have effectively remained closed.Since CEO Linda Yaccarino indicated in an email at the beginning of August that the San Francisco office would close, the company has not communicated any further information to employees. Employees in San Francisco will be transferred to offices in San Jose or Palo Alto. X's headquarters is expected to move to Texas, where other Musk companies such as Tesla, SpaceX, and Boring Co are also headquartered.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, Bitcoin mining company Rhodium Enterprises has voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Southern District of Texas, with liabilities of up to $100 million. The filing was submitted on August 24 and includes six subsidiaries—Rhodium Encore, Jordan HPC, Rhodium JV, Rhodium 2.0, Rhodium 10MW, and Rhodium 30MW. According to the document, the company's debts range from $50 million to $100 million, while its total assets are estimated to be between $100 million and $500 million.Earlier reports indicated that Rhodium's affiliated companies had encountered financial difficulties, and Rhodium's bankruptcy is one of them. It was reported that Rhodium Enterprises, which owns Rhodium Encore and Rhodium 2.0, failed to repay a $54 million loan to creditors in July. In 2021, Rhodium raised a $78 million loan for its subsidiaries.It was reported that the company proposed two debt restructuring plans before the deadline, but disagreements among shareholders led to a default. Under Chapter 11 voluntary bankruptcy, the company will be able to restructure its debts while continuing operations, allowing it to negotiate a repayment plan based on revised terms.

ChainCatcher message, the Lubbock police in Texas report a significant increase in Bitcoin-related scam cases, with victims suffering heavy losses. In the past few months, 20 to 30 people have reported scams involving gift cards and Bitcoin transactions.Scammers typically target the elderly, claiming that their accounts have been compromised and need verification. Victims are instructed to write checks, withdraw cash, and deposit funds into Bitcoin machines. Officer Brandon Stewart recalled a case where one victim transferred $25,000 and then $30,000.

ChainCatcher news, according to News.bitcoin, David Fischer, the manager of a Bitcoin mining facility owned by the publicly traded company Marathon Digital, has been found not guilty.Previously, over 40 residents near the facility complained about the high noise levels emitted by the mining operations. According to Hood County officer John Shirley, noise levels measured around the facility exceeded 85 decibels. This level of noise can be harmful and may lead to public health issues. The mining facility is located in Texas and is one of the least remote facilities managed by the company.

ChainCatcher news, Bitcoin miner Hut 8 has signed a power purchase agreement to have 205 megawatts of immediately available power capacity and land at a site in West Texas. This transaction is the first deal in Hut 8's previously announced 1,100 megawatt exclusive energy capacity plan.Hut 8 CEO Asher Genoot stated, "We will continue to seek opportunities to collaborate with energy partners to develop customized structures that create value for all parties."Hut 8 indicated that the site is well-positioned to support high-density computing applications, including Bitcoin and artificial intelligence, with data center engineering, procurement, and construction work underway. Once completed, this transaction is expected to increase Hut 8's total capacity of owned and managed services to approximately 1.3 gigawatts.

ChainCatcher news, according to Cointelegraph, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has requested a judge to dismiss a lawsuit from a U.S. clothing company that attempted to avoid potential regulatory action due to a past airdrop event. On July 3, the SEC filed documents requesting the dismissal of the lawsuit filed by Beba and the DeFi Education Fund (DEF) on March 25. The lawsuit asks a judge in the Waco district court to rule that the tokens issued by Beba are not securities. However, the SEC believes the lawsuit is "premature and based on an illusory" policy.Beba's lawsuit claims that the SEC would classify the BEBA token as a security and sue the company because it "adopted a de facto rule that 'the vast majority' of digital assets are 'securities'"—quoting Chairman Gary Gensler's remarks in 2022. In its motion to dismiss, the SEC stated that the lawsuit is "premature and based on a false policy—one that the Commission has never adopted and does not actually exist." The SEC noted that Beba and DEF did not point to "rules, orders, or other Commission actions reflecting the alleged policy issuance." It also added that the complaint did not mention any impending or threatened regulatory action against Beba, nor did it state that the SEC had previously investigated the company.

ChainCatcher news, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz stated that he is very optimistic about Bitcoin, and I believe Texas should welcome Bitcoin mining. I own three mining machines, and they are mining in Texas.

ChainCatcher news, according to Bitcoin Magazine on X, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has suggested integrating Bitcoin mining as a controllable load resource to ensure grid reliability.It is reported that the ERCOT-controlled grid covers 75% of Texas, accounting for 90% of the state's electricity generation. It is one of the three major grids in the United States.

ChainCatcher News: U.S. Senator Ted Cruz stated that he has purchased 3 Bitcoin mining machines and has started mining in Texas.

ChainCatcher news, according to dallasnews, Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin criticized the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for reclassifying ETH from a commodity to a security without legal authority, but he praised Texas for its leadership in supporting blockchain innovation and called for support for Texas in its fight against the federal regulators' overreach.

ChainCatcher message, Vitalik Buterin posted on Warpcast jokingly: "Base has already surpassed Ethereum" is roughly equivalent to "Austin, Texas has already surpassed the United States."

ChainCatcher news, according to a report by Reuters, the U.S. Department of Energy submitted a notice to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas on Friday, stating that after a lawsuit was filed by the cryptocurrency mining company Riot Blockchain and the Texas Blockchain Council (TBC), the Department of Energy agreed to temporarily suspend the mandatory investigation into the energy usage of cryptocurrency miners and to seal the data collected since the beginning of this month regarding Bitcoin miners.It is reported that the Texas Blockchain Council (TBC) and the cryptocurrency mining company Riot Platforms previously initiated a lawsuit, claiming that the U.S. Department of Energy, the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and their leadership attempted to conduct "intrusive" data collection on cryptocurrency miners.