Bitcoin Foundation adds DC insiders Jim Harper and Amy Weiss

In the last few months, Bitcoin has gone from fringe tech curiosity to a potential dark horse in the race for the future of international commerce. Not surprisingly, it has caught the caught the attention of cautious U.S. regulators, skeptical central bankers and scapegoat-craving politicians.

To ensure that the Bitcoin movement has a seat at the table, the Bitcoin Foundation recently hired two new advisers who are well-established in the D.C. power structure, Jim Harper and Amy Weiss.

Harper has been director of information policy studies for the Cato Institute since 2004. Harper joins as the foundation’s Global Policy Counsel while becoming a Senior Fellow at Cato. Weiss, former White House Deputy Press Secretary, is the founder and CEO of Weiss Public Affairs, a strategic communications firm representing Fortune 50 companies, foundations, nonprofits and individuals.

Harper’s impressive resume goes far beyond simply being a part of the Libertarian-leaning Cato Institute. He’s worked as a counsel to committees in both the U.S. House and Senate, as well as working with eBay’s PayPal division and VeriSign as they went through their early regulatory processes with Washington. A former White House deputy press secretary under President Bill Clinton, Weiss is arguably one of the best connected public-relations people in D.C.

The Bitcoin Foundation blog post also explained a little about the kind of work Harper and Weiss will be taking on in their new roles.

As Global Policy Counsel, Harper will lead efforts to identify political impediments to Bitcoin adoption, and build confidence in Bitcoin among governments around the world. As media consultant, Weiss joins Jinyoung Lee Englund on the Public Affairs team as a consultant to assist with the foundation’s global communications and media efforts.