89 House Democrats Urge Recess Appointment for Warren in Letter to Obama

June 2, 2011

The idea of President Obama using a recess appointment to officially place Elizabeth Warren as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is gaining steam among House Democrats.

Reuters reports 89 House Democrats, led by Carolyn Maloney, Brad Miller and Keith Ellison, sent a letter to President Obama, urging him to circumvent Senate confirmation for Warren by appointing her when the body is not in session.

“They would rather hold your appointment hostage and obstruct the process than make sure consumers have a strong advocate on their side,” reads the letter sent to Obama on Thursday. “If Republicans in the Senate indeed refuse to consider her, we request that you use your constitutional authority to make her a recess appointment.”

Forty-four GOP senators sent a letter to President Obama earlier, alleging they wouldn’t back any CFPB candidate until the agency is subject to further congressional oversight.

If Warren became CFPB director through a recess appointment, she could hold the position through the end of next year as opposed to a five-year period if her nomination were confirmed by the Senate.

Republicans prevented the possibility of a recess over the Memorial Day weekend by scheduling three pro-forma sessions over the next 10 days.

A recess appointment sometime this summer was always more likely, an aide recently told Politico.

“I don’t think [Republicans’] procedural tactics in this recess made any difference, other than showing how determined they are to obstruct the bureau,” the aide said during an interview.

Click here to read more of the letter House Democrats sent to the President regarding a recess appointment for Elizabeth Warren.


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