The White House pushed back against Senate Democrats’ criticism that the Trump administration has declined to appoint commissioners to key regulatory agencies, a dispute that has emerged as a hurdle in lawmakers’ efforts to advance a landmark cryptocurrency bill.
On Thursday, White House officials sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, saying they wanted to "set the record straight."
"Democrats have obstructed every civilian nominee, but President Trump has still nominated Democrats to key positions," they said, citing Democratic nominations to the International Trade Commission and re-nominations to the National Labor Relations Board, among others.
The letter was signed by Director of Presidential Personnel Dan Scavino and Director of Legislative Affairs James Braid.
The debate over Trump’s appointments has drawn particular attention to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which could play a central role in overseeing digital assets if Congress passes the broader crypto market structure legislation known as the Clarity Act.
