SEC Pick Communicated With Thiel, Mercer Before Nomination
- Clayton meetings disclosed in response to senators’ questions
- Lawmakers sought answers in writing after confirmation hearing
Jay Clayton.
Photographer: Zach Gibson/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Jay Clayton, the deals lawyer nominated to lead the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, said he had “substantive” communications with several wealthy backers of then-President-elect Donald Trump before he was offered the job in January.
Clayton spoke with venture capital billionaire Peter Thiel and political adviser Rebekah Mercer, both of whom were on Trump’s transition team, he said in written responses to questions from Senator Sherrod Brown obtained by Bloomberg. Clayton also said he communicated with the campaign’s chief executive officer, Stephen Bannon, who is now Trump’s chief strategist.