Acting consumer protection chief Mick Mulvaney on Wednesday defended the decision to put frosted glass on his office at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau against accusations that it sent the wrong message about transparency.
Rep. Keith Ellison, Minnesota Democrat, confronted Mr. Mulvaney, a former member of Congress who is now the White House budget chief and the acting consumer chief, about the office during a hearing on Capitol Hill.
Mr. Ellison displayed a photo of the office with the frosted glass.
“You are the champion of transparency, right?” he said. “And yet you have obscured yourself, physically. And I find that to be ironic, sir.”
Mr. Mulvaney said a total of 13 offices had frosted glass put in place, and said that was the plan devised by his predecessor, former Director Richard Cordray, a hero to the left who gave up his post to run as a Democrat for governor in Ohio.
Mr. Mulvaney, who was blunt-spoken during his time on Capitol Hill and remains so now in the administration, demanded Mr. Ellison describe his own office.
“Do you believe in transparency? How transparent is the door to your office, Mr. Ellison?” he said.
“I’m not a witness today. You are,” the congressman retorted.
“I’ve been to your office. I can’t see into it,” Mr. Mulvaney continued.
Mr. Ellison tried to bring his questions back on track: “You’re the one who’s offering yourself as some champion of transparency.”
After the public questioning, Mr. Ellison fired off a letter to Mr. Mulvaney Wednesday demanding he detail the frosting decisions, including the locations and occupants of other offices that got the treatment. Mr. Ellison also demanded to know whether the frosted glass meets top environmental standards.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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