Odaily Planet Daily News: On September 11, several U.S. lawmakers wrote to Gary Gensler, chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, saying that they had launched a joint investigation into the SEC because of concerns that the agency may have been involved in politically motivated hiring practices. The joint letter, signed by Jim Jordan (Republican, Ohio), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Patrick McHenry (Republican, North Carolina), chairman of the Financial Services Committee, and James Comer (Republican, Kentucky), chairman of the Oversight and Accountability Committee, outlined specific concerns about political hiring within the SEC. The investigation aims to determine whether the SEC considered political affiliations when hiring senior employees, which could have compromised the agency's impartiality and violated federal law. The lawmakers cited evidence that political considerations influenced the SEC's hiring of senior staff under Gensler's leadership. The letter specifically noted that Dr. Haoxiang Zhu was hired as director of trading and markets in November 2021. In an email prior to his appointment, Zhu reportedly assured Gensler of his political compatibility, writing in May 2021, “I believe I am in the right place on the political spectrum,” following discussions with Gensler about the role. (CryptoSlate)

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