by Jeff Sovern
President-Elect Trump has named former SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins his "landing team" member for the CFPB, among other federal agencies. Atkins has a history of opposing regulation and supporting business. Politico has a piece about him titled Trump team member slams unions, activists in favor of businesses. Excerpt:
“While Paul is in some ways more of an establishment Republican, I would put him in the free-market category,” said Thaya Brook Knight, an official at the Cato Institute, a libertarian-leaning think tank. * * *
As for whether Atkins would return to government for Trump, Knight said “it is customary” for transition team people to end up in a president’s administration.
Others are not as thrilled at that prospect.
“Tick down the list of issues we care about and you will typically find him on the other side,” said Lisa Gilbert, an official with Public Citizen, a liberal advocacy group.
“We are nervous about what his placement in the transition means,” Gilbert said. * * *
He has spoken in favor of the American Legislative Exchange Council, the controversial, Koch brothers-backed group that has pushed for voter ID laws and “stand your ground” statutes in many states. * * *
“ALEC is a great organization,” Atkins said at the July 3, 2012, Heritage Foundation event, according to an audio recording available online.
For more on ALEC's position on consumer protection laws, go here. This does not bode well for consumer protection.
