Ex-SEC boss Jay Clayton sworn in as interim Manhattan US attorney

Former SEC Chair Jay Clayton confirmed that he has been appointed as the interim US Attorney for the Southern District of New York after the Democratic Party’s Senate leader used a “blue slip” to block a vote confirming Clayton’s position.

The appointment comes a little over five months after US President Donald Trump nominated Clayton to take on the role. He replaces Damian Williams, who played a major role in the conviction of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and other high-profile crypto cases.

Clayton said on April 22 his top priorities would be to protect public safety, ensure the integrity of the US financial system, defend national security interests and combat fraud, particularly against the elderly and most vulnerable.

The temporary nature of Clayton’s appointment resulted from Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s use of a blue slip to block Clayton’s confirmation on April 16, effectively preventing a Senate vote and official confirmation of his position. 

Blue slips can be used by senators to block US attorney or district court judicial nominees in their home states. 

Clayton is allowed to serve as interim US attorney for up to 120 days without Senate confirmation. After that, he will need to be approved in a Senate vote or receive a temporary extension of his interim status from Manhattan’s federal court.

Trump criticized Schumer’s move in an April 17 Truth Social post, pointing out that Clayton received bipartisan support in the Senate and that Clayton complied with all requests asked of him.

The interim status of Clayton’s position will last until around Aug. 20. The role will see him as the top law enforcement officer for New York’s Southern District, encompassing the counties of New York, Bronx, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess and Sullivan.

The Southern District of New York is the oldest federal court district in the US, and its location in the country’s financial epicenter means it often handles high-profile cases involving white-collar crime.

Clayton has shared mostly positive views on crypto

Clayton served as SEC chair between May 4, 2017, and Dec. 23, 2020, and brought 56 cases against crypto firms during his tenure.

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He stated in a December 2021 CNBC interview that he’s a “huge believer in crypto technology,” adding that “the efficiency benefits in the financial system and otherwise from tokenization are immense.”

Clayton has also praised Bitcoin (BTC) as a prominent store of value, but didn’t allow Bitcoin exchange-traded products during his time as SEC chair.

The first US Bitcoin investment product was approved in 2021 under former SEC Chair Gary Gensler.

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