Category Archives: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Does Cancellation of the Debt Collection Notice Survey Mean Lawmaking in the Dark Has Come to the CFPB?

by Jeff Sovern Advocates for some positions sometimes block the federal government from researching or supporting research on issues. For example, supporters of gun rights have long had the votes to prevent the government from obtaining data about gun safety.  See, e.g., Newsweek's report titled THE GOVERNMENT WON'T FUND RESEARCH ON GUN VIOLENCE BECAUSE OF […]

Trump Tweet Demonstrates That CFPB No Longer Independent of White House

by Jeff Sovern The tweet reads:  Fines and penalties against Wells Fargo Bank for their bad acts against their customers and others will not be dropped, as has incorrectly been reported, but will be pursued and, if anything, substantially increased. I will cut Regs but make penalties severe when caught cheating! If the CFPB continued […]

The Sovietization of the CFPB?

by Jeff Sovern The old Soviet Union assigned political officers, called zampoliti, to military units to monitor the units for political correctness, as the Soviets defined it, among other purposes. According to an American Banker article authored by Kevin Wack, Mulvaney's plan to embed political staffers in CFPB sparks backlash, the purported Acting CFPB Director, Mick […]

Mulvaney Wants Congress to Block CFPB Payday Lending Rule and is Reviewing Pending Enforcement Cases

by Jeff Sovern So reports the American Banker.  Mulvaney can't simply rescind the payday lending rule without going through the time-consuming notice and comment process. But if the rule takes effect, and the industry challenges it, what happens if Mulvaney orders the CFPB lawyers not to defend the rule? Does the CFPB have an obligation […]

Dodd-Frank Authors, Including Dodd And Frank, on How Congress Didn’t Want the Vacancies Act to Apply to the CFPB

The architects of the Dodd-Frank Act, including former Senator Dodd, former Representative Frank, and former Treasury official Michael Barr, held a press conference on Thursday to make the point that Congress did not want the Vacancies Act to apply to the CFPB.  The American Banker has a report here.  Excerpt: They said a federal judge […]

CFPB Judge Promises to Decide Case Quickly as DOJ Attorney Refuses to Pledge that English Won’t Lose Job

The Wall Street Journal reports here. Excerpt: Asked by the judge if he could provide assurance that the administration wouldn’t take any adverse action against Ms. English that could immediately affect the case, [Brett Shumate, deputy assistant attorney general for federal programs] replied, “Loss of a position is not irreparable harm.”