A group of 16 attorneys general — all Democrats — have written a letter to President Trump, expressing their plans to “redouble” their efforts to enforce federal consumer protection laws if the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau does not “aggressively” pursue consumer abuse and financial misconduct.
“State attorneys general have express statutory authority to enforce federal consumer protection laws, as well as the consumer protection laws of our respective states,” the group said in their letter. “We will continue to enforce those laws vigorously regardless of changes to CFPB’s leadership or agenda.”
The group expressed concerns about the appointment of Mick Mulvaney as acting director, referring to comments Mulvaney made several years ago when he called the CFPB a “joke … in a sick, sad kind of way.”
Mulvaney was appointed acting director on Nov. 24, the same day that former director Richard Cordray resigned, and hours after Cordray promoted Leandra English to deputy director of the agency. English is suing President Trump and Mulvaney, claiming she should be the CFPB’s acting director until a permanent replacement is named.
“Such statements about an agency that has helped millions of American consumers and achieved fundamental reform in a number of critically important areas of American commerce are categorically false, and should disqualify Mr. Mulvaney from leading the agency, even on an acting basis,” the AGs wrote.
Knowing that their letter and their threats are unlikely to affect the president’s decision-making as he seeks a new permanent director, one law firm referred to the AGs’ actions as nothing more than “saber rattling.”
