Letter From US Senators 'Inappropriate,' Won’t Sway Me, FTX Bankruptcy Judge Says

Judge John Dorsey didn't seem impressed by the bipartisan communication from Elizabeth Warren, Cynthia Lummis and two other senators.

AccessTimeIconJan 11, 2023 at 2:27 p.m. UTC
Updated Jan 11, 2023 at 6:32 p.m. UTC
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A bipartisan letter from four U.S. senators is an “inappropriate” intervention in bankruptcy proceedings that won’t sway judicial decisions, Delaware Judge John Dorsey told a court hearing Wednesday.

The letter, from John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) called for an independent examiner to be appointed to investigate the collapse of the crypto exchange.

The letter is an “inappropriate ex parte communication,” Dorsey said, using a legal term for court interventions that don't give all parties the chance to be represented.

“I will make my decisions on the matters referred to in the letter based only upon admissible evidence and the arguments of parties and interest presented in open court,” Dorsey said. The bankruptcy court judge added that the letter “will have no impact whatsoever on my decisions in this case which will only be based upon the facts and law presented by the parties."

The senators’ letter raised questions about ​​the ability of law firm Sullivan & Cromwell to impartially represent the crypto company's new executives. FTX filed for bankruptcy Nov. 11.

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Jack Schickler

Jack Schickler was a CoinDesk reporter focused on crypto regulations, based in Brussels, Belgium. He doesn’t own any crypto.


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