The CFPB is rescinding its existing enforcement and supervision priority documents, according to a memo sent to bureau staff by CFPB Chief Legal Officer Mark Paoletta.

The CFPB will focus its enforcement and supervision resources on pressing threats to consumers, particularly servicemembers, their families, as well as veterans, Paoletta wrote, in a memo to bureau employees.… Continue Reading

The Trump Administration’s efforts to “effectively shutter the CFPB” amounts to a “total dereliction of all mandatory statutory duties,” that will harm state consumer protection efforts, Democratic state attorneys general have told a Washington, D.C. federal judge.

“The CFPB has, to date, been an invaluable partner to many States in performing a variety of consumer-protection functions mandated by Congress,” the 23 state officials said, in an amicus brief in a suit filed by the National Treasury Employees Union.… Continue Reading

Acting CFPB Director Russell Vought has temporarily put a halt to virtually all of the agency’s work.

President Trump designated Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as acting bureau director Friday night. He replaced Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who had served as acting CFPB director until Vought’s appointment.… Continue Reading

As we previously blogged about, Acting Director Scott Bessent circulated a message throughout the CFPB on February 3 directing “…all employees, contractors, and other personnel of the Bureau:

  • Not to approve or issue any proposed or final rules or formal or informal guidance.
  • To suspend the effective dates of all final rules that have been issued or published but that have not yet become effective.
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The topics we discuss are: implications of the SCOTUS Seila Law decision on CFPB rules, past consent orders, ongoing enforcement, and the Texas lawsuit challenging the CFPB payday loan rule; DOJ/FTC auto dealer fair lending actions, status of disparate impact, and Google targeted advertising changes; the CFPB’s new advisory opinion program; timing of CFPB debt collection final rule; and OCC/FDIC final rules to undo Madden and plans to address “true lender.”… Continue Reading

On April 23, 2019, the CFPB announced that it will provide more transparency to recipients of Civil Investigative Demands (“CIDs”) on what the investigation is about. The CFPB’s press release stated that “CIDs will provide more information about the potentially applicable provisions of law that may have been violated. CIDs will also typically specify the business activities subject to the Bureau’s authority.”… Continue Reading

The CFPB announced yesterday that it has transmitted a proposal to Congress that would give it clear authority to conduct supervisory examinations for compliance with the Military Lending Act (MLA).

Last summer, former CFPB Acting Director Mulvaney reportedly announced that he planned to end routine examinations for MLA compliance because the Dodd-Frank Act did not give the CFPB the authority to conduct such examinations. … Continue Reading

Thirty state attorneys general, joined by the AGs of the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, have sent a letter to CFPB Acting Director Mulvaney “to express our concern about recent reports that the [Bureau] will no longer ensure that lenders are complying with the Military Lending Act (MLA) as part of its regular, statutorily mandated supervisory examinations.”… Continue Reading

The CFPB has issued a request for information that seeks comment on its supervision program.  Comments on the RFI must be received by May 21, 2018.  (Unlike the CFPB’s three prior RFIs described below which have 60-day comment periods, the new RFI has a 90-day comment period.)

The new RFI represents the fourth in a series of RFIs announced by Mick Mulvaney, President Trump’s designee as Acting Director. … Continue Reading

In a letter to Leandra English and Mick Mulvaney, Senator Elizabeth Warren calls the freeze imposed by Mr. Mulvaney on the CFPB’s collection of personally identifiable information (PII) “unjustified.”  (Not surprisingly, Senator Warren’s letter is addressed to Ms. English as “Acting [CFPB] Director” and to Mr. Mulvaney as “Director” of OMB.)… Continue Reading