New FOIA request seeks records of communications between former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and people involved in encryption enforcement decisions

Odaily Planet Daily News In an effort to increase transparency and accountability in government agencies, Empower Oversight Whistleblowers & Research recently submitted a new Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to seek information from former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton and possible SEC contacts. Records of communications between individuals involved in controversial cryptocurrency enforcement decisions. From May 4, 2017, to December 23, 2020, Clayton specifically claimed that Bitcoin was not a security. Furthermore, the confirmation from a senior SEC official echoed his stance on Ethereum. Notably, these statements boosted the value of both tokens. However, as Clayton’s term ended, the SEC suddenly filed a lawsuit against Ripple, claiming that its XRP token was a security. In addition, Clayton surprised the industry when he joined One River Asset Management (a hedge fund focused on Bitcoin and Ethereum investments) after exiting the SEC. In light of these developments, Empower Oversight has stepped up its efforts to uncover any behind-the-scenes communications between Clayton and several identified individuals during his tenure at the SEC, including Jasmine Burgess, John D'Agostino, and others. (CoinGape)