U.S. Senate weighs Clayton nomination after contentious intelligence hearing

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Senate weighs Clayton nomination

Highlights

Democrats challenge Clayton at the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence hearing regarding his stance on the 2020 election and his actions toward New York Times journalists.
Contentious hearing follows President Trump’s abrupt postponement of the initial June nomination, but Clayton remains likely to be confirmed in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Lawmakers scrutinize Trump’s interim appointee Bill Pulte at FHFA for launching mortgage investigations against Trump opponents, adding controversy to Clayton’s nomination process.

Confirmation hearing centers on election remarks

As reported by CNBC, Clayton appears before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Wednesday after a planned June hearing is abruptly halted at President Donald Trump’s direction.

During the roughly two-hour hearing, Democrats press Clayton over past comments on the security of U.S. elections and over his decision to subpoena New York Times journalists for reporting on a Qatari jet gifted to Trump. Clayton refuses to say Joe Biden won the 2020 election, instead saying, “I am not an election denier. Joe Biden was certified.”

Lawmakers also question Clayton about whether he knows that his predecessor, Tulsi Gabbard, took part in a raid of a Georgia election office earlier this year. The hearing becomes contentious even though Clayton is still seen as likely to win confirmation in the Republican-controlled Senate.

Political controversy clouds intelligence post

The nomination process is complicated by Trump’s handling of the timetable and by the interim appointment of Bill Pulte, a close Trump ally and director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Bipartisan lawmakers question whether Pulte is suited for the role after he launches mortgage-related inquiries into Trump opponents from his FHFA post.

Clayton, a former SEC chair and current U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, is seeking a position that carries access to some of the country’s most sensitive secrets. If the committee advances his nomination next week, the full Senate then takes up the final confirmation decision.

Our earlier coverage of Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s Senate Banking Committee hearing focused on how he reiterated the Fed’s commitment to fighting inflation while offering little guidance on the future path of interest rates. We also noted how Warsh largely sidestepped political pressure, underscoring the central bank’s emphasis on staying within its mandate and preserving institutional independence.

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