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The following letter to the editor appeared in the November 2 edition of the Newport Miner: County Commissioner John Gentle’s conflict of interest between his duty and the financial benefits he receives from the employment of his spouse has become too apparent to ignore. Ms. Gentle is in charge of energy and site development for the bitcoin mining company Northern Data. They have a long and close relationship with Beijing’s Bitmain, which operates the $300 Million crypto facility in Usk, and who their CEO described as “our partner, with whom we work closely and trustingly.” In November 2021, Northern Data reported to its investors that they secured 110,000 bitcoin mining computers which they planned on turning on by December. However, they must install most of these machines in facilities owned by other companies because their own facilities will not be ready before 2024. In December 2021, they hired Mr. Gentle’s wife to find these facilities, creating a direct business interest in Bitmain. Last February 9th, this newspaper reported that Northern Data met with Cascade Digital Mining/Bitmain. Bitmain was planning a 500MW, hydro-powered facility. The most likely reason for the meeting was to discuss a contract to host Northern Data’s machines at Usk. Since then, Northern Data’s stock has fallen 93%, and they are at risk for bankruptcy. Bitmain holds a lifeline. On August 30, Mr. Gentle skipped his commissioners' meeting to lobby the PUD for a new power contract that would financially benefit Bitmain and potentially benefit his wife as she desperately seeks a host for her bitcoin miners. Mr. Gentle has crossed the line of a “possible appearance of a conflict of interest” standard outlined in Section 3 of the POC Governance Manual that regulates commissioner ethics. It is past time for him to disclose the full nature and extent of his financial interest in Bitmain to County Prosecutor Dolly Hunt and to the public. -- Ben Richards For an in-depth examination of Commissioner Gentle's apparent conflict of interest, watch this video presentation:
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