Internal Emails Reveal Mulvaney Flack Could Only Find Industry Praise for Kraninger CFPB Nomination
CFPB Chief Communications Officer Went Looking for Praise of Kraninger Nomination to Send White House and Could Only Find it from Industry
WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to an internal email obtained by Allied Progress as part of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, Mick Mulvaney turned CFPB flack John Czwartacki gathered praise for Trump CFPB Director nominee Kathy Kraninger to relay to the White House but could only find such sentiments from industry trade groups representing bankers and predatory lenders or industry-backed think tanks and Republican politicians.
“John Czwartacki went hunting for praise of Kathy Kraninger’s nomination to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and all he could pull together were quotes from trade groups representing the very industries she would be tasked with holding accountable at the Bureau or politicians and think tanks that have been bankrolled by these powerful special interests,” said Karl Frisch, executive director of Allied Progress.
He continued, “Kraninger refused to answer questions about her record in private meetings with Senators. Then she refused to answer questions about her record during her confirmation hearing. She’s even refusing to answer questions about her record posed by Senators in writing. It’s little wonder the only folks supporting her nomination are on the tack from CFPB-regulated industries. They know when push comes to shove, she’ll put them first rather than consumers.”
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- After Kathy Kraninger was nominated as CFPB Director, CFPB Spokesman John Czwartacki circulated a list of quotes endorsing her to lead the bureau – a list made up of almost entirely of financial industry groups. On June 20, 2018, John Czwartacki emailed “raw quotes from people who have endorsed” Kathy Kraninger to Lindsay Walters, Emma Doyle, Jonathan Slemrod, and Kathy Kraninger. Of the fifteen quoted endorsements, ten were from industry groups representing bankers and lenders (American Bankers Association, Mortgage Bankers Association, National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions, Credit Union National Association, Community Financial Services Association, Online Lenders Alliance, Texas Bankers Association, Consumer Bankers Association, Pennsylvania Bankers Association, ACA International), three were from free-market advocacy organizations (Competitive Enterprise Institute, Heritage Foundation, U.S. Chamber Center for Capital Markets), and two were from Republican politicians (Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas and Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. [Email from John Czwartacki, 06/20/18 (Obtained Through FOIA)]
DON’T FORGET
- Previously, Czwartacki appeared to be the first person who had tweeted a link to Protect America’s Consumer’s website encouraging the confirmation of Kathy Kraninger for CFPB Director. On July 17, 2018, John Czwartacki, Chief Communications Officer and Spokesperson at the CFPB, tweeted a link to protectconsumers.com, with the headline “Support Kathy Kraninger for Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.” [Tweet by John Czwartacki, 07/17/18 at 5:59pm ET]
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