Trump appointed budget director Mulvaney tells staff to "disregard" instructions from Leandra English

Erica Pandey
Axios.com
Mon, 27 Nov 2017 00:00 UTC

© Jacquelyn Martin / AP

Monday was Mulvaney's first day at the CFPB.

White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, named by President Trump as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, sent a memo to the agency's staff Monday that read: "Please disregard any instructions you receive from Ms. English in her presumed capacity as Acting Director," Reuters reports. He also brought donuts.

The backdrop: The CFPB currently has two chiefs. Leandra English is former director Richard Cordray's pick to lead the agency, and she has sued the Trump administration over Mulvaney's appointment. Mulvaney told staffers to report any communications from English to the general counsel of the CFPB, who has said she believes Mulvaney has the authority of acting director.

Comment: Acting director of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sues Trump for appointing Mick Mulvaney instead

Comment: As expected, Democrats whose primary mandate appears to be obstructing the Trump administration in any way possible have refused to recognize Mulvaney as active director of the CPFB:

Senators Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D., Nev.) are refusing to recognize Mulvaney, who also heads up the Office of Management and Budget, as the director after President Donald Trump appointed him. English filed a lawsuit against the White House Sunday for this decision, asserting that Mulvaney's appointment is unlawful.

Masto showed her support for English's leadership in a press release Monday. Saying her office will "recognize her [English's] leadership" as "Acting Director."

"Wall Street Reform specifically provides that the Deputy Director of the CFPB will become the Acting Director of the agency in the event of a vacancy. President Trump must respect the law and allow Leandra English to fulfill her obligations to American consumers," Masto said. "She is now the Acting Director of the CFPB, and my office will recognize her leadership."

Warren, for her part, referred to English as the "new director" and the "active director" on cable news appearances throughout the day.