Obama bypassing Senate to appoint Richard Cordray consumer chief

[hyphenate]

Source: LA Times

By Jim Puzzanghera and Lisa Mascaro

January 4, 2012, 8:25 a.m.
Reporting from Washington —

President Obama will appoint former Ohio Atty. Gen. Richard Cordray on Wednesday to be the first director of the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency, making a controversial decision to install Cordray while the Senate is in brief recess to avoid Republican opposition, according to a White House official.

Obama’s move, to be announced during a visit to Ohio, is likely to be challenged in court as he will be the first president in more than two decades to make such a so-called recess appointment during a Senate break of less than three days.

The move is sure to infuriate Senate Republicans, who have been near unanimous in blocking Cordray’s appointment. It also will anger many in the financial services industry, who strongly opposed creation of the agency.

House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) blasted Obama's move as "an extraordinary and entirely unprecedented power grab." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Obama had "arrogantly circumvented the American people" by breaking with long-standing precedent on recess appointments.

Congressional Republicans have been forcing the Senate into pro forma sessions every three days throughout the holidays to prevent Obama from making recess appointments. Nearly all Senate Republicans have been blocking Cordray’s nomination because they want to weaken the authority of the new consumer agency, which was the centerpiece of the 2010 financial reform law.



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-obama-cordr...

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It's about time that he did this. Shit, Bush used to use recess appointments every goddamned year, especially that idiot Bolton.

[myrna minx]

1. Thank goodness. K&R n/t

[eleny]

2. Stepping on the Iowa results just a little, too - good!

[SaveOurDemocracy]

3. K&R

[still_one]

4. The repukes are taking this to the supreme court. I say good, it will say which party is for

the regular person, and which party is against them

[Lasher]

6. Not so good.

Remember, we have a partisan GOP SCOTUS.

[dtexdem]

7. So let them rule. That's better than not acting because of what they might rule.

And we don't know how they'll react to a case placing presidential power in conflict with transient party interests.

[Lasher]

13. I agree with that.

Worst case scenario: Obama recess appoints nominees who serve for a period of time, after which the SCOTUS eventually decides they have to stop serving.

[DesertFlower]

5. great. K&R.

[femrap]

8. Cordray is a man

of integrity (few of these) from Ohio...plus a big Jeopardy winner...smart dude!

[Divine Discontent]

9. let em try n stop the appt. thru the courts...

they wont succeed.

victory for the people.

[PatrynXX]

10. President grows up. Republicans cry baby... n/t

[Cleita]

11. Finally, the President is not letting them

play their little obstructionist tricks on him anymore.

[socialindependocrat]

12. Wouldn't they just continue to block every appointee???

You set up a committee and the opposition blocks every candidate until
the committee becomes less effective.

Elizabeth Warren should be in the spot now.

Without a doubt - VOTE THEM OUT

Repubs are a dying breed!!

Freedom in the United States should be freedom of choice!

I am against these people who say that "I" have to do what they believe.

What do you call it when one group of people requires another group of people
to follow the leaders without freedom of choice?

I will plant my garden and grow what I choose to be tastefull!

What is the life of a person who grows old and dies
when all they have done is "follow the rules"?
Isn't that why we came to America!!??