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From the New York Post: Two top leaders of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau were removed from their roles Tuesday — in the first staffing cuts as President Trump’s team begins an ambitious effort to gut the 1,700-person agency, The Post has learned.
Enforcement director Eric Halperin and supervision director Lorelei Salas were placed on administrative leave by Mark Paoletta, the top lawyer at both the CFPB and the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Halperin, who made remarks seen as defying orders from Trump’s aides to pause all work, resigned six minutes after receiving an email informing him that he was being placed on leave “effective immediately.”
“I write to provide notice of my resignation… Since the building is closed, please provide instructions on how to return my equipment,” Halperin responded to the leave email. “Thank you for the opportunity to serve. It was an honor.”
Two CFPB officials announced their immediate resignations Tuesday morning, according to emails shared w/CBS News.
Eric Halperin & Lorelai Salas, directors for CFPB’s offices of enforcement and supervision, cited the order from CFPB head Russ Vought to stop work as a reason why. pic.twitter.com/27nYetuQDt
— aaron navarro (@aaronlarnavarro) February 11, 2025
RCPolitics reporter Philip Wegmann later announced Tuesday afternoon, “The deputy director of the CFPB, Zixta Martinez, was just placed on administrative leave by the agency’s new chief legal officer, Mark Paoletta.”
Scoop: The deputy director of the CFPB, Zixta Martinez, was just placed on administrative leave by the agency’s new chief legal officer, Mark Paoletta.
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@PhilipWegmann) February 11, 2025
Zixta Martinez, Deputy Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), has served as ASC Board Member and Chair since April 2022. Martinez joined the CFPB in 2010 and oversees the Bureau’s Operations Division.
Learn more https://t.co/Y7COn5wN0U#ASCgov #CFPB pic.twitter.com/5fL2VKEzY3
— Appraisal Subcommittee (@ascgov) July 30, 2024
Russell Vought, who was just confirmed last Thursday as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, sent out a memo on Saturday and ordered the bureau’s 1,700 employees to not come to the office or do any work for the next week.
According to CNBC, only a few hundred positions are required to exist at the agency by the legislation that created it. Therefore, it is possible Vought is about to slash potentially hundreds of jobs.
Vought also announced Saturday, “Pursuant to the Consumer Financial Protection Act, I have notified the Federal Reserve that CFPB will not be taking its next draw of unappropriated funding because it is not “reasonably necessary” to carry out its duties. The Bureau’s current balance of $711.6 million is in fact excessive in the current fiscal environment. This spigot, long contributing to CFPB’s unaccountability, is now being turned off.”
Pursuant to the Consumer Financial Protection Act, I have notified the Federal Reserve that CFPB will not be taking its next draw of unappropriated funding because it is not “reasonably necessary” to carry out its duties. The Bureau’s current balance of $711.6 million is in fact…
— Russ Vought (@russvought) February 9, 2025
Vought also served in the same position from July 2020 to January 2021.
“The CFPB has been a woke & weaponized agency against disfavored industries and individuals for a long time. This must end. 👇,” Vought declared in a post on Sunday.
The CFPB has been a woke & weaponized agency against disfavored industries and individuals for a long time. This must end. 👇https://t.co/ODcRNKwuBG
— Russ Vought (@russvought) February 9, 2025
God be praised. Grateful to the President and the US Senate. Incredibly thankful for all the many who prayed me through. Now. Let’s. Go. https://t.co/pjoD6M1OiG
— Russ Vought (@russvought) February 7, 2025
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