In a steady effort to reinforce transparency and accountability in governmental businesses, Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research (“Empower Oversight”) has not too long ago submitted a brand new Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. This utility seeks specific information of communications between Jay Clayton, the previous Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and varied people probably linked to the SEC’s controversial cryptocurrency enforcement choices.
Clayton’s Controversial Crypto Journey
From May 4, 2017, to December 23, 2020, Clayton notably declared Bitcoin was not a safety. Furthermore, affirmations from senior SEC officers echoed his stance on Ether. Significantly, these bulletins bolstered the worth of each tokens. However, as Clayton’s time period ended, the SEC’s sudden lawsuit towards Ripple, claiming its XRP token was a safety, threw the cryptocurrency group right into a whirlwind of hypothesis.
Consequently, eyebrows raised when Clayton joined One River Asset Management post-SEC, a hedge fund centering solely on Bitcoin and Ether investments. Given these developments, Empower Oversight intensified its efforts to unearth any behind-the-scenes communication between Clayton and several other recognized people throughout his time on the SEC.
New Insights Bring New Questions
Additionally, with Empower Oversight’s latest FOIA request, the group seeks complete communication particulars between Clayton and figures reminiscent of Jasmine Burgess, John D’Agostino, and others. Besides attempting to piece collectively Clayton’s choices, Empower Oversight is decided to make sure no conflicts of curiosity throughout Clayton’s management.
Moreover, this transfer comes at a vital juncture, with the SEC dealing with flak from cryptocurrency advocates and main US legislators. Notably, Patrick McHenry, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, criticized the SEC for its lack of clear regulation regarding crypto-related actions within the US.
Empower Oversight’s earlier requests have already led to revelations. Notably, former senior SEC official William Hinman’s ties along with his previous employer, Simpson Thacher, garnered consideration because of the potential implications of a battle of curiosity. Hinman’s public declaration that Ethereum was not a safety contrasts starkly with the SEC’s earlier references to related tokens as unregistered securities.
Hence, because the inquiries deepen and the strains connecting the dots grow to be extra evident, the cryptocurrency realm eagerly waits for readability. These investigations will deliver much-needed transparency and equity within the quickly evolving world of digital currencies.
The offered content material could embody the non-public opinion of the writer and is topic to market situation. Do your market analysis earlier than investing in cryptocurrencies. The writer or the publication doesn’t maintain any accountability on your private monetary loss.
