Is there a relationship? U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman "thanks" SBF for candid discussion on FTX incident.

The U.S. House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing on FTX in mid-month, but SBF is not required to attend. The committee chairman even asked SBF in a low-key and inviting tone if he could attend the hearing, which has sparked discontent within the crypto community.

12/13 FTX Hearing

The U.S. House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing titled "Investigating the Collapse of FTX, Part I" on December 13th.

Recently, SBF has been featured in various interviews, including with KOL Tiffany Fong, the New York Dealbook Forum, ABC News, The Block, but has never directly admitted to the "misappropriation of user funds" allegations.

Chairwoman's "Sincere Invitation"?

Chairwoman of the Financial Services Committee, Maxine Waters, tweeted recently:

SBF, thank you for openly discussing the events surrounding FTX. Your willingness to engage with the public will be helpful for users, investors, and others. We welcome your participation in our hearing on the 13th.

However, SBF politely declined the invitation:

Once I've reviewed the full context of the events, I will feel obligated to explain to the committee. I am uncertain if this review can take place before the 13th, but once it's completed, I will testify.

Rep. Waters, and the House Committee on Financial Services:

Once I have finished learning and reviewing what happened, I would feel like it was my duty to appear before the committee and explain.

I'm not sure that will happen by the 13th. But when it does, I will testify. https://t.co/c0P8yKlyQt

— SBF (@SBF_FTX) December 4, 2022

Community Criticizes Chairwoman

Maxine Waters' tweet has sparked backlash from the crypto community.

LBRY, recently defeated by the SEC and classified as a security, stated:

Hey Maxine Waters, we also want to be treated nicely by the government like the criminal SBF. Can you tell us how much the bribe needs to be and where to send it? If you have privacy concerns, feel free to DM us.

Crypto KOL DCinvestor.eth lashed out:

Maxine, what are you doing? Your words sound submissive, and I don't believe you truly understand how serious this matter is, especially considering your previous friendly relationship with SBF. Please directly subpoena SBF to testify before Congress and demand an explanation of what happened.

Terra whistleblower Fatman only expressed his hope that this friendly tone is a ploy to lure SBF into the U.S. If not, he will be speechless and will have to believe that Maxine is as corrupt as described by everyone.

American political columnist Benny Johnson shared a video of SBF attending a hearing earlier this year, where Maxine Waters even blew a kiss to SBF as the consultation ended:

CAUGHT: Maxine Waters appears to blow a kiss at FTX’s chief fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried at a Congressional hearing while the cameras were still rolling

She’s the one who’s supposed to grill SBF next month?

pic.twitter.com/qxWXuNsyuK

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 18, 2022

Perhaps due to the continuous criticism from the community regarding that tweet, Maxine Waters changed her tone and demanded more sternly that SBF attend the hearing:

As CEO, and based on your media interviews over the past few weeks, we are well aware that you have enough information to testify. The collapse of FTX has harmed over a million people. Your testimony is not only meaningful to members of Congress but also to the American people. You must attend our hearing on the 13th.