Heinrich Statement Opposing Jay Clayton’s Nomination for Director of National Intelligence

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement in response to the Senate's confirmation of Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, to be the Director of National Intelligence (DNI).

"I voted against Mr. Clayton's nomination to serve as Director of National Intelligence because he hasn't shown the independence or care this job demands.

"The Director of National Intelligence has one job above all others: to tell the American people, the president, and Congress the truth, even when it's inconvenient. Mr. Clayton couldn't bring himself to do that in his own confirmation hearing, when he wouldn't give a straight answer about who won the 2020 election.

"And that wasn't the only place Mr. Clayton came up short. As U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Mr. Clayton failed to protect Epstein survivors' personal contact information and, in some cases, nude photographs from public disclosure. That's the kind of unforced, unnecessary harm that should disqualify someone from a job built on discretion and judgement.

"On top of that, his office has slow-walked New Mexico's own investigation into Epstein's crimes at Zorro Ranch, refusing to hand our Attorney General the unredacted evidence he needs. Survivors and witnesses in my home state and across the country deserve better."

Last week, Heinrich voted against advancing Clayton's nomination out of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Earlier this month, Heinrich pressed Clayton to provide evidence related to Jeffrey Epsein's alleged crimes at Zorro Ranch in New Mexico to the New Mexico Attorney General. Heinrich also questioned Clayton about his role in the unconscionable, improper public release of sensitive information belonging to Epstein survivors and his comments about President Trump's attempt to use a $1.8 billion slush fund to compensate violent criminals who beat up cops on January 6, 2021.

Heinrich's questioning followed a recent letter from New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez to Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and Associate Deputy Attorney General Diego Pestana, demanding that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) immediately turn over unredacted Epstein records that the Department has held for years. In the letter, AG Torrez stated that "more than 130 days have now elapsed since the New Mexico Department of Justice's initial request" for unredacted records and called the DOJ's delay "unreasonable under any rule of reason."

Additionally, Heinrich appeared on MSNOW's The Weeknight with Symone Sanders, Michael Steele, and Luke Russert, where he discussed Clayton's disastrous nomination hearing, stating "the bar was so low and he managed to go under it," regarding Clayton's performance.

###

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Tweet