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3h ago

SDNY Judges Approve Jay Clayton as Manhattan U.S. Attorney

The ruling formalizes the tenure of a former Wall Street lawyer as U.S. attorney, highlighting judicial checks on interim appointments

Jay Clayton, former chairman of the U.S. SEC, speaks during 13D Monitor's Active-Passive Investor Summit in New York City, U.S., October 22, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

Overview

  • Judges of the Southern District of New York formally appointed Jay Clayton to continue as U.S. attorney in Manhattan after his 120-day interim term expired.
  • Clayton served as SEC chair from 2017 to 2020 and spent over two decades in corporate law without prior prosecutorial experience.
  • His approval contrasts with decisions in districts such as Northern New York and New Jersey where judges rejected Trump’s nominees, prompting the DOJ to use special-attorney designations and reappointments.
  • The Manhattan office has faced internal turmoil, including resignations by prosecutors who refused Justice Department orders to drop charges against Mayor Eric Adams and the firing of AUSA Maurene Comey after the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial.
  • Home-state senators have lodged blue-slip objections that stall permanent confirmations, underscoring judges’ expanding role in overseeing interim U.S. attorney appointments.