Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, wants to know whether Brian Johnson, CFPB director nominee and an executive at Capital One, had a role in the bureau’s decision last year to drop its lawsuit against the bank.
In addition to deleting press releases, testimonies and speeches published before February 2025, the CFPB removed a website translation tool that allowed users to access information in several non-English languages.
The bureau’s draft strategic plan for fiscal year 2026 through fiscal year 2030 included many of the same objectives the agency has already been promoting, such as debanking and deregulation.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, though raised concerns about efforts by CFPB Acting Director Russell Vought and the Trump administration to “sideline” the CFPB.
In recent court filings, the CFPB cited a memo from the Department of Justice that said the Federal Reserve currently lacks “combined earnings” from which the bureau can draw.
The nomination of Stuart Levenbach is just a tactic to extend CFPB Acting Director Russell Vought’s tenure at the agency, according to a bureau spokesperson.
CFPB Acting Director Russell Vought has yet to request any funding for the CFPB in fiscal year 2026. His actions mimic those of a former bureau acting director.
The ruling by the appeals court allows the Trump administration to proceed with massive layoffs at the bureau. One of the three judges to hear the case dissented, arguing that the courts are shifting power from Congress to the executive branch.
The Senate parliamentarian has advised Republicans that they cannot use the budget reconciliation process to eliminate the CFPB’s funding from the Federal Reserve.