US Lawmakers Investigate SEC Over Alleged Politically Motivated Hiring

According to Odaily, several U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to SEC Chairman Gary Gensler on September 11, expressing concerns over potential politically motivated hiring practices within the agency. The joint letter, signed by Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), and Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), outlines specific worries regarding political considerations in SEC's recruitment of senior employees. The investigation aims to determine whether the SEC has taken political affiliations into account when hiring senior staff, potentially compromising the agency's impartiality and violating federal law. The lawmakers cited evidence suggesting that under Gensler's leadership, political factors have influenced the hiring of senior personnel. The letter specifically mentions Dr. Haoxiang Zhu, who was appointed as Director of Trading and Markets in November 2021. Reportedly, prior to his appointment, Zhu assured Gensler of his political compatibility in an email dated May 2021, stating, 'I believe I am in the right place politically,' following discussions with Gensler about the role.