Clayton says Biden was ‘certified’ as president

Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, appeared before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday for his confirmation hearing to become director of national intelligence. During the hearing, Clayton declined to say that former President Joe Biden won the 2020 election, instead stating that Biden was “certified” as president, according to the Guardian.

Clayton also skirted questions about his previous statements on election integrity and about whether a White House official asked him to subpoena a group of New York Times journalists as part of an alleged national security investigation.

If confirmed, Clayton would replace acting Director Bill Pulte, whom President Donald Trump installed last month after abruptly canceling Clayton’s originally scheduled hearing. Pulte’s tenure has drawn criticism from members of both parties, who have questioned whether his background as chair of a federal mortgage regulation agency qualifies him for the role and raised concerns about his loyalty to Trump.

Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee initially maneuvered to prevent Pulte from taking over by scheduling a confirmation hearing for Clayton days before the exit of former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Trump directed Clayton not to appear on the morning of the hearing, allowing Pulte to become acting director.

In his short time as acting director, Pulte has fired some intelligence officials. He is scheduled to appear alongside Trump for a televised national address on Thursday evening, where Trump said he plans to discuss unspecified foreign intervention in U.S. elections.

Clayton, who served as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first term and made millions as a Wall Street attorney, has no experience serving in any intelligence agency. He has demonstrated support for Trump’s allegations of election fraud. In a CNBC interview on June 8, Clayton said of election integrity, “We’re doing an absolutely terrible job, and the American people are right to question it.” He also said California’s mail-voting laws, which include sending mail ballots to all voters and a grace period for ballots to arrive after election day, created an “opportunity for fraud.”

Trump has called U.S. elections “rigged” while presenting no evidence to support the allegations.