Kalshi adds ex-Obama aide while lawsuits pile up

Kalshi added Democratic strategist Stephanie Cutter as a policy adviser as the prediction market company faces legal and political pressure in the United States. 

The move places another well-known political figure around the company at a time when regulators, lawmakers, and state officials continue to examine prediction markets and event contracts.

Kalshi said Cutter joined from Precision Strategies, the firm she co-founded in 2013. The company said the appointment will help it “deepen its relationships in DC and across the country.” 

Kalshi co-founder and chief executive Tarek Mansour said Cutter can help the company get its message to the right people because of her experience in government and politics.

Cutter is a longtime Democratic strategist with experience in presidential and congressional politics. Her arrival adds a new policy voice to Kalshi as the company pushes to explain prediction markets to officials and the wider public. Cutter described Kalshi as a data-based platform at a time when public debate is often driven by noise and division.

The appointment also fits a broader effort by Kalshi to build ties across both major US parties. In January 2025, Kalshi named Donald Trump Jr. as a strategic adviser. That move gave the company a Republican-linked figure as it tried to expand its standing in Washington.

Kalshi opened a Washington office in January 2026 and has since held nearly 200 meetings with lawmakers and officials from across the political spectrum. That outreach shows how closely the company is tying its growth plans to policy work as prediction markets face closer review.

Legal fights keep building

Kalshi’s policy push comes as state and federal authorities continue to clash over who controls prediction markets. Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois moved against platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket under state gambling laws. 

In response, the CFTC filed lawsuits arguing that federal law gives the agency “exclusive jurisdiction” over these markets.

Lawmakers have also raised concerns about trading tied to sensitive political and military events. Some Democrats called for more scrutiny after “suspicious trades” linked to the US invasion of Iran. 

In March, Kalshi said it would add guardrails to block politicians, athletes, and other relevant people from trading in certain markets, aiming to reduce insider trading and manipulation risks.