The No. 2 Democrat in the Senate said Sunday that President Trump is violating the law by naming Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney as the new director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The president tapped Mr. Mulvaney to head the CFPB on Friday shortly after Richard Cordray, the previous director and an Obama administration holdover, resigned and had appointed his successor.
“The statute is specific … it says that the deputy should take over,” Sen. Richard Durbin, Illinois Democrat, told CNN’s “State of the Union,” suggesting that Leandra English, the current deputy director of the CFPB, should be in charge.
Late Saturday, the Justice Department ruled that Mr. Trump has the authority to replace Mr. Cordray, setting up a new battle between Democrats and Republicans for control over the Wall Street watchdog agency aimed at consumer protection.
The CFPB was created by the 2010 Dodd-Frank law drafted by Democrats, but Republicans have argued the agency is unconstitutional because its budget is independent of Congress and the president.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, defended Mr. Trump’s authority to name tap Mr. Mulvaney.
“The president’s on good ground to appoint somebody under the vacancy statute,” Mr. Graham told CNN on Sunday.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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