Attorney John Deaton calls for public release of SEC inspector general report on Hinman's potential conflicts of interest

Pro-cryptocurrency lawyer John Deaton called for transparency in the ongoing controversy surrounding former U.S. SEC official William Hinman. Deaton said it was necessary to publicly release the SEC Inspector General's (IG) report on Hinman's potential conflicts of interest. In a series of X posts, Deaton stressed that outgoing SEC Chairman Gary Gensler or incoming Chairman Paul Atkins needed to release the Inspector General's findings. He also said that any credible investigation would confirm that a violation of U.S. financial conflict of interest laws had occurred, "With these facts, you can prove a violation of 18 USC 208," citing federal laws prohibiting conflicts of interest in government positions. He also noted that while the SEC Inspector General's (IG) report may not find evidence of procedural misconduct by officials, the public has a right to know the findings.