Politico: ” Rumors continue to burn through the financial lobbyist community that the new Trump administration is ready to fire CFPB Director Richard Cordray”

by Jeff Sovern Here, in Morning Money.  Excerpt: THE POLITICS of firing Cordray would be tough for Trump. He could argue that the CFPB is an unaccountable agency lead by a too-powerful single director. Banking groups, especially those representing smaller and midsize institutions, would be would be thrilled. But the CFPB polls pretty highly and […]

FTC and FL settle charges against companies engaged in illegal student-debt relief scheme

Under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission and the State of Florida, the operators of an alleged student debt relief and credit repair scam will be banned from those lines of business. The stipulated final order resolves charges the FTC and the State of Florida brought in April 2016, against Chastity Valdes and her […]

FTC report on cross-device tracking

The Federal Trade Commission has released Cross-Device Tracking: An FTC Staff Report that describes the technology used to track consumers across multiple Internet-connected devices, the benefits and challenges associated with it, and industry efforts to address those challenges. The report concludes by making recommendations to industry about how to apply traditional principles like transparency, choice, […]

David Dayen: Mnuchin Lied About His Bank’s History of Robo-Signing Foreclosure Documents

Here, in The Intercept.  Excerpt: “Did OneWest ‘robo-sign’ documents relating to foreclosures and evictions?” Sen. Bob Casey, D-Penn., asked [Treasury Secretary Nominee Steven] Mnuchin as a “question for the record”. Mnuchin replied that “OneWest Bank did not ‘robo-sign’ documents * * * [Dayan reports on] a 2011 consent order issued by the federal Office of […]

The Hill: Cordray: No change for consumer bureau under Trump

Here. Excerpt: Cordray, who has helmed the CFPB as its first and only director, said Tuesday that he has no intention of stepping down early, despite pressure from Republicans eager to overhaul the 5-year-old agency. “It really shouldn’t change the job at all,” said Cordray of Trump assuming power. “We have an independent mandate to […]

NJ Assembly Passes Bill to Bar Out-of State Consumer Arbitration

Here is a report from the N.J.L.J. Excerpt: The New Jersey Assembly has passed legislation that prohibits companies from inserting language in consumer contracts that requires arbitration of disputes in forums outside of the state. The Assembly, on Monday, approved the bill, A1515, in a 49-20 vote. The vote was split along party lines, with […]

Will Political Appointees in the Department of Commerce Prevent the Trump Campaign from Registering a Trademark in Opponents’ Slogan?

by Paul Alan Levy During the 2016 election cycle, the slogan “Keep America Great” emerged as a counterweight to the Make America Great Again slogan on which candidate Donald Trump was campaigning.  A fellow named Andreas Mueller tried to capitalize on that development by reserving the slogan as his own trademark.  The Trademark Office, properly […]

State AG’s also intervene to defend Dep’t of Ed in accreditation suit

In addition to intervention in the suit mentioned by Jeff (below), 6 state attorneys general today moved to intervene in a federal district court case against the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), an accreditor of for-profit colleges. The suit is a challenge by ACICS to the Department of Education decision to terminate […]