White House Tells Senate Dems: "Not Received Names" — But SEC, CFTC Still One-Deep on Democrats 🤝

White House officials told Senate leaders they had "not received names" from Democrats to fill vacancies at the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission, according to a Thursday letter to Senate majority leader John Thune and minority leader Chuck Schumer. The letter responded to a June 10 request from 12 Senate Democrats raising concerns about staffing at US federal agencies, including the SEC and CFTC. Both agencies are operating with Republican-appointed members only, with leadership panels understaffed as digital asset market structure legislation remains pending in Congress.

As of Thursday, the SEC had two vacant Democratic seats and three Republican commissioners, one of whom, Hester Peirce, was expected to depart by November. The CFTC's chair and sole commissioner was Republican Michael Selig, who in his seven months on the job has publicly defended what he described as the agency's "exclusive jurisdiction" over prediction market companies. President Donald Trump has nominated Democrats to other positions, including seats at the National Labor Relations Board and International Trade Commission, and had not announced any new nominations sent to the Senate since June 24.

Senate Democrats wrote in June that the administration had refused "in almost every instance to engage with Senate Democratic leadership in the normal process of identifying Democratic nominees to fill vacancies on independent agencies," adding that the White House "appears set on leaving the vast majority of these critical positions open indefinitely." Cointelegraph reached out to a White House spokesperson for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

The staffing dispute comes as lawmakers weigh the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act, which passed the House of Representatives in July 2025 and has since faced delays tied to government shutdowns and debates over ethics provisions linked to Trump's ties to the crypto industry. Two Senate committees advanced their versions of the bill this year, but it still requires Democratic support to reach the 60-vote threshold in the chamber. Senator Cynthia Lummis has said Republicans are preparing to vote on the bill in July, with the Senate scheduled to return Monday from a state work period.

Senator Ron Wyden has urged Senate leaders to preserve developer protections in the crypto bill, while CFTC chair Selig has said the agency could write "all the rules" on digital assets without new legislation. The exchange underscores how the fight over nominees is unfolding alongside a broader debate over which regulator writes the rulebook for digital assets.