Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts voted for the GENIUS Act, the stablecoin law that state prosecutors say fails to protect fraud victims, while the Trump family's own stablecoin grew to nearly $2.7 billion; against an amendment "To prevent cryptocurrency corruption"; against barring taxpayer money to refit the jet Qatar gave the President; and against barring federal money for the White House ballroom.
Ricketts voted to confirm Todd Blanche, twice, and Stanley Woodward, the Justice Department officials who signed the settlement of the President's lawsuit against the IRS that a judge found was brought for an improper purpose, and in June 2026 he voted against amendments to limit the $1.776 billion fund that settlement created. He also voted to confirm Pam Bondi and the SEC chair whose agency dropped its case against Binance.
Pete Ricketts's Votes on Crypto, the Qatari Jet and the Officials He Confirmed
- Ricketts Voted for the Stablecoin Law Prosecutors Say Leaves Fraud Victims Unprotected. On June 17, 2025, Ricketts voted yes on the GENIUS Act, which passed 68-30 and set the first federal rules for stablecoins. New York Attorney General Letitia James and four district attorneys wrote in January 2026 that the law fails to protect victims of fraud, CNN reported. The Trump family's World Liberty Financial stablecoin, USD1, saw its market cap grow from $128 million to nearly $2.7 billion, according to a House Judiciary Democrats' staff report.
- Ricketts Voted Against an Amendment 'To Prevent Cryptocurrency Corruption' in June 2025. On June 30, 2025, during the votes on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Ricketts voted no on waiving the budget rules for an amendment whose stated purpose was "To prevent cryptocurrency corruption," which failed 47 to 53. By then 764,000 wallets of mostly small holders have lost money on $TRUMP, the President's meme coin, CNBC reported, citing Chainalysis.
- Ricketts Voted Against Barring Taxpayer Money for the Qatari Jet in October 2025. On October 9, 2025, Ricketts voted no on an amendment "To prohibit the use of funds to procure or modify foreign aircraft for presidential airlift," which failed 46-50 under a 60-vote threshold. The Air Force retrofitted the 747 Qatar gave the President after it had estimated it would cost less than $400 million to retrofit the gift, and Trump first flew it on July 1, 2026, ABC News reported.
- Ricketts Voted to Confirm the Justice Department Officials Who Signed the Trump-IRS Settlement. On March 5, 2025, Ricketts voted to confirm Todd Blanche as deputy attorney general, and on October 7, 2025 he voted to confirm Stanley Woodward as associate attorney general. Both signed documents in the May 2026 settlement of Trump's lawsuit against the IRS, which a federal judge found "was brought for an improper purpose". The settlement's provision that permanently bars the IRS from pursuing tax claims against Mr. Trump, his oldest sons and his company remains in place, CBS News reported.
- Ricketts Voted to Confirm the Attorney General Who Scaled Back Foreign-Influence and Corporate Enforcement. On February 4, 2025, Ricketts voted to confirm Pam Bondi as attorney general. In her first days Bondi is limiting criminal enforcement of a foreign agents registration law, CNN reported, and within two weeks 3 top U.S. prosecutors resign over order to drop Eric Adams case, the corruption case against New York's mayor. Public Citizen counts more than 200 corporations whose enforcement actions the administration has canceled or frozen.
- Ricketts Voted to Confirm an SEC Chair Tied to Crypto Industry Groups, Whose Agency Dropped the Binance Case. On April 9, 2025, Ricketts voted to confirm Paul Atkins as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Public Citizen lists his ties as "Patomak Global Partners LLC, SEC, Digital Chamber, Token Alliance", crypto-industry groups among them. Trump's SEC and Binance filed a joint motion to dismiss on 5/29/25 the agency's case against the exchange, and Trump later pardoned Binance's founder, Changpeng Zhao, on October 21, 2025.
- Ricketts Voted Against Limiting the $1.776 Billion Fund Created by the President's IRS Settlement in June 2026. On June 5, 2026, Ricketts voted against waiving budget rules for amendments to prohibit the use of funds to provide payments to certain individuals and to limit judgments and settlements paid from the Treasury; both fell short of the 60 votes needed. The fund, part of the settlement a judge found "was brought for an improper purpose", drew claims from pardoned rioters seeking payouts before Blanche formally rescinded the plan in August 2026; no payment from it was reported.
- Ricketts Voted Against Barring Federal Money for the White House Ballroom in June 2026. On June 4, 2026, Ricketts voted no on waiving budget rules for an amendment "to prohibit the use of funds for, the White House Ballroom"; it failed 53 to 46 under a 60-vote rule. Public Citizen found that "14 out of 27" corporate donors to the ballroom received new or increased government contracts, totaling over $50 billion in six months.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pete Ricketts on Corruption and conflicts
What is Pete Ricketts's record on corruption and conflicts under Trump?
Pete Ricketts voted for the GENIUS Act and against amendments to curb crypto corruption, to bar money for the Qatari jet and to bar money for the White House ballroom. He voted to confirm the Justice Department officials who signed the President's IRS settlement and voted against limits on the $1.776 billion fund it created, and he confirmed the SEC chair whose agency dropped the Binance case.
Did Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts vote for the GENIUS Act crypto law?
Yes. Pete Ricketts voted for the GENIUS Act on June 17, 2025, and it passed 68-30. The law set the first federal rules for stablecoins, including the one issued by World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's crypto company, and Ricketts voted two weeks later against an amendment whose purpose was "To prevent cryptocurrency corruption".
Did Pete Ricketts vote to stop the Qatari jet for Trump?
No. Pete Ricketts voted on October 9, 2025 against an amendment "To prohibit the use of funds to procure or modify foreign aircraft for presidential airlift", which failed under a 60-vote rule. The Air Force retrofitted the 747 and the President first flew it on July 1, 2026.
Last updated: 2026-10-25