Jay Clayton advances towards final confirmation vote to become director of national intelligence
WASHINGTON — Jay Clayton cleared his first hurdle in the Senate Monday night to become the next director of national intelligence after a nomination process filled with curveballs.Clayton cleared a procedural vote, 51-43, along party lines.If confirmed in a final vote later this week, Clayton will take over for acting DNI Bill Pulte and become the official replacement for Tulsi Gabbard, who stepped down in June.
Senate leader John Thune (R-SD) filed cloture on Clayton’s nomination last Wednesday after the vote passed through the Senate Intelligence Committee. “Amid a heightened threat environment, having a proven leader in this role is especially important, and Jay Clayton fits this mold,” Thune said on the Senate floor ahead of the vote.The Senate majority leader argued Clayton’s record as the top prosecutor in the Southern District of New York and as chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission “inspires confidence in the type of DNI that he will be.” “Democrats have previously recognized his abilities,” Thune said, noting Clayton has previously “earned bipartisan support.” “So one might think that we’d be seeing some bipartisanship from Democrats on this nominee, but Democrats are playing the same partisan games with this qualified nominee as they have for so many of President Trump’s picks,” the South Dakota Republican lamented.Gabbard, the original DNI, officially stepped down four weeks ago citing the need to take care of her husband who is dealing with an “extremely rare form of bone cancer.” Clayton was nominated on June 11 after President Trump was heavily criticized by both parties for his appointment of Pulte, who is a federal housing regulator.“Few people anywhere in the Legal Community are respected at the level of Jay,” Trump said in a June Truth Social post.
“I encourage the United States Senate to confirm Jay as soon as possible.”However, during Clayton’s original hearing, Trump told him not to show ...