Mulvaney Tells CFPB Staff He’s In Charge After Another English Email

Budget Director-designate Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Budget Committee. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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Mick Mulvaney, in his battle with Leandra English over the acting directorship of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, asked staff to forward “additional communications from her … in any form” to the Wall Street watchdog’s general counsel. It looks like somebody did, and today he is upset.

In a Tuesday email to CFPB staff obtained by TPM, Mulvaney apologized for having to reiterate that he is the true acting director and told staff to disregard emails or instructions from English:

I understand that Ms. English sent out at least one additional email today wherein she purports to be the Acting Director.

Consistent with my email from yesterday, please disregard any emails sent by, or instructions you receive from, Ms. English when she is purporting to act as the Acting Director.

I apologize for having to send this instruction again. And I feel terrible about you folks being put in this position, as I understand it can be both confusing and disruptive. However, I hope we won’t have any more misunderstandings moving forward.

Please feel free to reach out to me here or in person if you have any questions.

Thanks very much.

Mick M.
Acting Director

English has filed suit seeking both a temporary injunction and a restraining order against Mulvaney to prevent him from assuming the acting directorship of the government agency, which the very conservative former South Carolina congressman has often criticized. U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly heard arguments on Monday in English’s case in Washington but did not immediately hand down a ruling; he is expected to do so Tuesday.

Mulvaney, who was appointed as purported acting director by President Donald Trump, is still serving as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget.

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Notable Replies

  1. Better tell the DOJ to get their filing in, then.

  2. Shouldn’t Ms. English have security throw this guy out of the office? Simple.

  3. This kerfuffle will blow over. I’m more interested in watching the dust settle on Trump’s pending appointment of Nick Farage as Prime Minister of Great Britain. You never know once litigation starts how the Hannity/Ingraham bloc will rule on the matter.

  4. What Mulvaney really means is: “Look people, despite my calling this agency a sad, sick joke, and my long-expressed desire to eliminate it - just disregard all that and do what I say!”

  5. Mulvaney: “Let them eat donuts.”

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