📰 Crypto lawyer John Deaton countered the SEC's "aiding and abetting" charges against Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse. Deaton argued that the situation could have been avoided if former SEC executives Bill Hinman and Jay Clayton had been allowed to testify earlier.

🔹 Deaton stated that Hinman should appear in court. Additionally, a former SEC Chairman did not have a chance to testify in court.

🔹 Deaton thinks the SEC is wrong to blame Garlinghouse. Jay Clayton, in particular, had planned to file a "non-fraud" lawsuit against individual executives.

🔹 Deaton argues that Jay Clayton is an important witness who should testify in court. After Hinman spoke, Garlinghouse told Clayton that his company was "living in hell." However, Clayton and Hinman did not state that XRP is a security.

🔹 Deaton thinks that by making a statement, the time, money and effort that could be spent on lawsuits and transactions by Deaton, Clayton and Hinman will be better used in spreading the use of crypto. The SEC is still fighting to reverse Judge Torres' ruling that XRP is not a security.