Republican Senators Will File an Amicus Brief in Court Challenge to Cordray Recess Appointment as CFPB Director

Thirty-nine Republican Senators have signed a letter indicating their intent to file an amicus brief and join a court challenge to the recent recess appointment of Richard Cordray as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In the letter, the Senators, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), said that President Obama’s January 4, 2012 recess appointments of individuals to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and National Labor Relations Board were unprecedented and unconstitutional. A number of Ranking Members also signed the letter, including Senator Orrin Hatch of the Finance Committee (R-Utah), Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) of the Armed Services Committee, and Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN)of the Foreign Relations Committee.