Makena Kelly expressed her satisfaction at returning, while Leah Feiger shared her happiness about Kelly’s presence alongside Tim Marchman, WIRED’s director of science, politics, and security. The conversation among the three revolved around an article by Kelly, available for readers on WIRED.com, focusing on Aaron Kofsky, a financial adviser to JD Vance. Vance, known for his involvement in the Senate Banking Committee, relies on Kofsky for guidance in areas such as crypto and banking policy. Notably, Kofsky played a pivotal role in shaping Vance’s approach to new regulations following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Prior to his association with Vance, Kofsky served on Pat Toomey’s staff and worked at the SEC.
Leah Feiger highlighted the potential implications of a Trump–Vance victory, suggesting that Kofsky might assume a more senior policy role, possibly due to his connection with SEC commissioner Mark Uyeda, who is considered a contender for at least a temporary SEC chairmanship under a Trump administration.
The discussion centered around Kofsky due to revelations from Kelly’s investigation, which uncovered his extensive Reddit postings over a decade, detailing his use of various drugs, including cocaine, opiates, MDMA, and unregulated substances like tianeptine and kratom. Tianeptine, colloquially referred to as “gas station heroin,” is legal in some states, though known for its opioid-like effects and severe withdrawal symptoms. Kratom, resembling opioids, is lightly regulated and available at convenience stores.
Marchman underscored that the purpose of this reporting was not to criticize Kofsky’s recreational choices but to highlight the implications of such behavior from a significant figure in a powerful position. The narrative raised questions about JD Vance’s management, especially considering his political inexperience, while addressing how someone in Kofsky’s role could maintain such a public online presence detailing illicit activities.
