Recess appointments

Republicans Press House GOP Leaders To Pick Public Fight Over Obama Recess Appointments

Brian Beutler | January 11, 2012, 1:00PM

House Speaker John Boehner with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the foreground.

This post was updated at 1:21 p.m. to reflect comment from House GOP Leadership.

President Obama's recess appointment of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Richard Cordray could create another internal headache for Republican leaders in the House, many of whose members want to pick a public fight with Democrats over the controversy.

Scores of House Republicans have signed on to a non-binding resolution disapproving of Obama's four winter recess appointments -- Cordray, and three members of the National Labor Relations Board -- all fodder for conservatives, who are furious about the existence of these agencies, let alone the recess appointments themselves.

"It's astounding to me that the president is claiming these are recess appointments and within his authority, when Congress was not in fact in recess," said Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) who authored the resolution. "These appointments are an affront to the Constitution. No matter how you look at this, it doesn't pass the smell test. I hope the House considers my resolution as soon as we return to Washington so we can send a message to President Obama."

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Recess appointments

Obama's Recess Appointments Dilemma Is About To Get Worse

Brian Beutler | January 11, 2012, 5:25AM

President Barack Obama

Despite making several key, contentious recess appointments since Congress left town, the Obama administration is still operating with scores of vacancies, including an unexpected hole at the top of the Office of Management and Budget.

But their options for filing those vacancies are likely limited, unless President Obama is willing to dial his use of the recess appointment power up even further.

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Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart Takes On Latest Republican Freak-Out

David Taintor | January 6, 2012, 10:03AM

Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart on Thursday took on the latest Republican freak-out: President Obama's "unprecedented" power grab. What could that possibly be?

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Richard Cordray

Cordray Gets Cracking Even As GOP Complains

Brian Beutler | January 5, 2012, 1:30PM

President Barack Obama announces the appointment of Richard Cordray as the nation's chief consumer watchdog at an event in Shaker Heights, OH on January 4, 2012.

The freshly recess-appointed head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau dismissed concerns about the legitimacy of his recess appointment, and says he'll discharge his duties as the nation's top consumer watchdog as if he'd landed in the director's chair in a less contentious way.

"I have been appointed as the director of the Bureau," Cordray said at a Brookings Institute event Thursday. "It's a valid appointment. But I will leave those details to others."

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National Labor Relations Board

Obama Suddenly On A Recess Appointments Roll

Brian Beutler | January 4, 2012, 3:38PM

President Barack Obama speaks on the economy in Shaker Heights, OH on January 4, 2012.

Add the National Labor Relations Board to the list of agencies that will be given new life thanks to President Obama's decision to thwart Senate Republicans and use his recess appointment power expansively.

The administration just announced that Obama will appoint Sharon Block, Terence Flynn, and Richard Grifin to the NLRB, preventing it from being crippled indefinitely thanks to Senate Republican intransigence.

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Richard Cordray

Why Obama Chose To Appoint Cordray The Hard Way

Brian Beutler | January 4, 2012, 2:20PM

Richard Cordray, nominee for Director of the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Republicans are predictably attacking President Obama's decision to recess appoint Richard Cordray -- his top consumer watchdog -- on procedural grounds and with constitutional volleys. This is why Obama and Cordray's allies thought it might be wiser for Obama to make the appointment on Tuesday when, for technical reasons, he could have relied on precedent and avoided opening this particular Pandora's box.

But by taking a more daring approach, Obama managed to both wrongfoot the GOP politically, and secure for Cordray up to an extra year in the director's chair at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Here's why:

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Barack Obama

GOP Furious As Obama Recess Appoints Cordray

Brian Beutler | January 4, 2012, 11:23AM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) conducts a news conference along with fellow GOP members on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on November 30, 2011.

No surprise here. Top Republicans are ripping President Obama's decision to recess appoint his top consumer watchdog, Richard Cordray.

"Although the Senate is not in recess, President Obama, in an unprecedented move, has arrogantly circumvented the American people by 'recess' appointing Richard Cordray as director of the new CFPB," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in an official statement. "This recess appointment represents a sharp departure from a long-standing precedent that has limited the President to recess appointments only when the Senate is in a recess of 10 days or longer. Breaking from this precedent lands this appointee in uncertain legal territory, threatens the confirmation process and fundamentally endangers the Congress's role in providing a check on the excesses of the executive branch."

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Barack Obama

Why Obama's Defying The GOP And Appointing Top Consumer Watchdog

Brian Beutler | January 4, 2012, 9:54AM

President Barack Obama

Update 10:17 Eastern. This post has been updated from an earlier version in order to reflect the full confirmation that has now come in..

The White House confirmed Wednesday morning that President Obama will announce a recess appointment for Richard Cordray to run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at a speech in Ohio later today. Cordray was a well-liked Ohio Attorney General until last year, after he was toppled by the GOP midterm wave in 2010.

Cordray's an accidental victim of a brazen act of GOP obstruction. They're refusing to allow an up-or-down vote on any CFPB nominee until the agency itself is fundamentally weakened -- an extra-legal attempt to nullify a key portion of an act of law.

Obama actually missed his best opportunity to recess appoint his top consumer watchdog on Tuesday. But there are reasons Obama opted to take a more confrontational approach.

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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Obama Misses Key Window For Empowering Top Consumer Watchdog

Brian Beutler | January 3, 2012, 12:53PM

President Barack Obama

Today was the day that legal experts and many aides in both parties thought President Obama would provide a recess appointment to Richard Cordray, his nominee to administer the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The rationale is quite technical, but here's the bottom line: one reading of the Constitution and of executive branch administrative law suggest that today is Obama's last day to recess appoint any of his languishing nominees, at least until the next time the Senate leaves town several weeks from now.

But a senior administration official who would not be quoted told reporters at a White House background briefing Tuesday that Obama will not take advantage of that opening.

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Richard Cordray

GOP Filibusters Top Consumer Protection Nominee

Brian Beutler | December 8, 2011, 11:37AM

This post was updated at 11:55 a.m.

As they promised they would, the overwhelming majority of Republicans on Wednesday filibustered Richard Cordray, the uncontroversial former Ohio Attorney General whom President Obama tapped to be the director of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau -- an agency tasked with mitigating fraudulent and dangerous financial products.

The final vote was 53-45, with one Senator, Olympia Snowe (R-ME) voting present and one, John Kerry (D-MA) not on hand to vote. GOP Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) -- running for re-election against the CFPB's godmother Elizabeth Warren -- joined the Democrats in supporting Cordray.

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Financial Reform

Sr. White House Official: GOP Consumer Bureau Demands 'Unacceptable'

Brian Beutler | December 5, 2011, 6:12PM

President Barack Obama

The White House making a big public push to pressure moderate Republicans to support Richard Cordray, President Obama's nominee to run the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, when the Senate votes on his confirmation Thursday. Nearly all Senate Republicans have vowed to filibuster any potential director until Democrats agree to dramatically scale back the bureau's regulatory power.

In a background briefing with reporters Monday, a senior White House official said the GOP's demands won't fly.

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Scott Brown

Report: Scott Brown Bucks GOP, Endorses Cordray CFPB Nominee

Brian Beutler | November 14, 2011, 5:19PM

Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA)

Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) is bucking his party and asking for an up-or-down vote for former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray to run the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

"The senator supports the Cordray nomination and believes it deserves an up or down vote on the Senate floor," his spokesman John Donnelly told the Boston Globe.

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Richard Cordray

Attorneys General Back Cordray for Consumer Protection Bureau

Susan Crabtree | October 18, 2011, 4:46PM

Richard Cordray, nominee for Director of the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The White House isn't backing away any time soon from Richard Cordray's bid to become the first director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The administration enlisted the help of 37 attorneys general, both Republicans and Democrats, to push for their former colleague, Ohio's previous attorney general, and sing his praises. The attorneys general sent a letter Tuesday to every member of the Senate, asking them to overcome their opposition to Cordray and the CFPB in general.

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Elizabeth Warren

Warren: Time For A Recess Appointment Or A Big Political Fight Over Consumer Bureau

Brian Beutler | July 18, 2011, 6:07PM

Consumer Affairs and Protection Bureau Director Elizabeth Warren

Now that the White House has decided not to nominate Elizabeth Warren to run the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, she's taking her fight to protect the new agency directly to Republicans. And she says the time has come either for President Obama to recess appoint his designated director, or to engage in a loud, public fight with the GOP senators who have vowed to block the confirmation of any nominee, regardless of ideology or affiliation.

On a conference call with reporters and bloggers Monday evening, Warren described the impasse Republicans have erected as an opportunity.

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Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander On Blocking Nominations: That's What Nominations Are For!

Brian Beutler | June 16, 2011, 5:45AM

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)

Presidential nominations: What are they good for? Absolutely nothing! Except being blocked in the Senate.

At least that's Sen. Lamar Alexander's (R-TN) understanding.

"That's what nominations are for," he quipped to reporters Wednesday after a Capitol briefing on GOP tax and regulatory proposals. "When I was nominated to be Education Secretary, Senator [Howard] Metzenbaum held me up for three months.

At the time he wasn't pleased, but since becoming a senator, his prerogatives have changed. Though he helped broker a modest truce between the parties over obstructive tactics at the beginning of the year, he still supports a senators right to use advise and consent powers to block nominations and extract policy concessions.

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Elizabeth Warren

AFL-CIO Pushes Obama On Recess Appointment For Elizabeth Warren

Brian Beutler | June 9, 2011, 10:10AM

Elizabeth Warren

The most influential labor organization in the country is pushing President Obama to appoint Elizabeth Warren to run the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau during the next congressional recess.

"By refusing to make any appointment to lead the CFPB, Senate Republicans effectively have recused themselves from having any input into whom President Obama appoints," reads an email alert to activists delivered Wednesday evening. "It's a dereliction of their constitutional duty to "advise and consent" on the president's nominees."

Fortunately, President Obama can bypass these obstructionists by making a recess appointment.

No matter who gets the recess appointment of President Obama, Republicans have made it clear they'll scream and holler. This reflects a sorry state in our politics--but it's also a historic opportunity to recess appoint Elizabeth Warren, who's already shown as acting director of the CFPB that she's a true champion for working families.... Urge President Obama to appoint Elizabeth Warren the next time Congress goes on recess.

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Barack Obama

Frank: White House Should Use Recess Appointment To Overcome Sexist Opposition To Warren

Ryan J. Reilly | June 2, 2011, 3:35PM

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Elizabeth Warren

The White House will use President Barack Obama's recess appointment powers to name Prof. Elizabeth Warren head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau if that is their only option, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) said Thursday.

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Elizabeth Warren

Number Of Democrats Calling For Warren Recess Appointment More Than Doubles

Evan McMorris-Santoro | June 2, 2011, 8:48AM

Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee the expenditure of TARP, Elizabeth Warren.

As Republicans have stepped up their attempts to prevent Elizabeth Warren's confirmation as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Democrats and progressives are building steam behind their call for President Obama to go around the GOP's obstruction.

In the past week, the number of Democratic lawmakers who have signed a letter calling on Obama to use his recess appointment powers to install Warren at the head of the newly-created CFPB has more than doubled from the 36 who were on the list last week.

The formal announcement of the new number of signatories -- which is expected to include some members of House Democratic leadership -- will come at a Capitol Hill press conference on Thursday. Progressive groups are already calling the amped up recess appointment support a victory for their pro-Warren grassroots organizing efforts.

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Patrick McHenry

Warren Supporters Swarm McHenry's Facebook Page After He Blasts Her 'Sense Of Entitlement'

Brian Beutler | May 25, 2011, 10:25AM

Patrick McHenry and Elizabeth Warren

Somebody probably should have warned him about the high risk of blowback. Now he's learning it the hard way.

Over the past 12 hours, hundreds if not thousands of Elizabeth Warren's supporters have swarmed Rep. Patrick McHenry's (R-NC) Facebook page and excoriated him for mistreating her on Capitol Hill Tuesday.

As the contentious Oversight Committee hearing drew to a recess, Warren claimed she had arranged with McHenry's staff to be excused from the panel at 2:15 p.m. -- and that the arrangement was only necessary because the committee made multiple scheduling changes before settling on an early-afternoon start time.

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Elizabeth Warren

One-Time Warren Foe Now Pressuring Obama To Give Her Recess Appointment To Head Consumer Bureau

Brian Beutler | May 23, 2011, 3:04PM

Elizabeth Warren

The head of the Oklahoma Banker's Association -- a one-time Elizabeth Warren skeptic who believed she was "akin to the Antichrist" -- is now asking President Obama to provide her a recess appointment to direct the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

"I write to encourage you to appoint Elizabeth Warren as the first Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and to do so with a 'recess appointment' at the first opportunity," wrote Roger Beverage -- President and CEO of the OBA -- in a May 19 letter to Obama, provided to TPM. "In light of the action taken by the forty-four senators who have stated they will oppose any nominee to serve as Director of the new Bureau unless certain changes are made to the Bureau's structure, I encourage you to wait no longer and give Elizabeth a recess appointment before the July 21st transfer date."

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Elizabeth Warren

Dems Press Obama To Recess Appoint Elizabeth Warren To Run Consumer Bureau

Brian Beutler | May 19, 2011, 8:28AM

Elizabeth Warren

With Senate Republicans committed to blocking all potential directors of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, congressional Democrats are pressing President Obama to accept reality and offer Elizabeth Warren a recess appointment to head the agency she conceived of.

"Regretfully, Republicans in the Senate have now made it clear that they oppose reform," reads a letter from House Democrats that will be delivered to President Obama.

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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Republicans Make Power Play To Gut Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Brian Beutler | May 6, 2011, 4:11PM

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL)

On Thursday, while House Republicans were dealing with a small Medicare privatization snafu, their Senate counterparts laid down an impossible marker. Forty four of their 47 members have signed on to a letter threatening to filibuster any nominee to head the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau unless it is dramatically weakened.

"We will not support the consideration of any nominee, regardless of party affiliation, to be the CFPB director until the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is reformed," reads a letter, co-authored by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), ranking member of the Banking Committee.

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Spending

Frank Mocks GOP 'Orgy Of Self-Congratulation' (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | February 18, 2011, 11:38AM

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)

House Republicans are on the cusp of passing legislation that would slash federal spending dramatically over the next six months, and they've larded it up with extraneous riders, which would undermine many of President Obama's accomplishments.

That sounds terrible, but on the bright side it gave Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) a chance to unload on the GOP's "orgy of self-congratulation."

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Financial Reform

Republicans Attempt To Hamstring Consumer Protection Bureau In Spending Bill

Brian Beutler | February 16, 2011, 3:12PM

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)

Here's another way Republicans are coming after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The GOP wants to severely limit the fledgling agency's initial appropriations -- just as its staffing up and growing into a functional oversight body.

Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) discovered the measure buried in the House Republicans' new spending bill. He and his colleagues Barney Frank (D-MA) and Brad Miller (D-NC) are circulating a letter to colleagues to draw attention to the plan.

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Financial Reform

Republicans Gear Up For Fight Over Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Brian Beutler | February 16, 2011, 2:12PM

Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX)

Keep an eye on this in the weeks and months ahead.

A House Republican on the Financial Services committee has introduced legislation that would make it easier for Congress to hamstring, or defund, the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Once fully erected, the Bureau will be housed within the Federal Reserve and be guaranteed a percentage of the Fed's budget, with the option of asking Congress for more money. Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) proposes keeping it in the Department of Treasury, where Congress would have complete control over its purse strings.

In a brief interview Tuesday, Neugebauer was pretty candid about this.

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Oversight Committee

Heritage Asks Issa To Reverse Decades Of Worker, Consumer, Environmental Laws

Brian Beutler | January 31, 2011, 2:30PM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)

CREW got a hold of a bunch of letters to House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa from trade association, industry, and think tank leaders, which identify aspects of the federal regulatory regime that they believe Issa should investigate to make life and profits easier for businesses.

The one that most neatly reflects the priorities of the conservative movement comes from the Heritage Foundation, which is asking Issa to attack decades worth of regulatory and statutory worker and consumer protections.

Here's the laundry list:

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Bush Tax Cuts

Obama Again Demands GOP Stop Holding Middle Class Tax Cuts Hostage

Brian Beutler | September 17, 2010, 2:14PM

President Barack Obama

In a Rose Garden address this afternoon appointing Elizabeth Warren to be a consumer watchdog for the Treasury Department, President Obama again insisted that Republicans allow a vote on middle-income tax cuts.

"We know that a strong middle class leads a strong economy," Obama said. "And that's why as we dig our way out of this recession we've set our sights on policies that grow the middle class and provide a ladder for those who are struggling to join it. And that's why I am urging the leaders of the other party to stop holding middle class tax cuts hostage and extend this relief to families immediately."

Obama's been hitting the same note for more than a week now. Unfortunately for him, House Democrats aren't making his job, or the politics of this fight, very easy.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Dodd Hints At Lame Duck Confirmation Of Real Consumer Bureau Director

Brian Beutler | September 17, 2010, 10:40AM

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)

Senate Banking Committee Chair Chris Dodd remains skeptical that Elizabeth Warren can or will be confirmed to truly run the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Yesterday, reacting to news that President Obama would appoint Warren to an advisory role at the CFPB, Dodd urged the White House to send the Senate a confirmable nominee. Possibly even during the so-called lame-duck session after the November elections.

"We still need to have a nominee," Dodd told reporters during a Senate vote. "My hope is they'll send us a nominee sometime in the next few weeks, or even in the lame duck. We'll have hearings and we'll consider who'll actually run the place."

Dodd said he doubts Warren can be confirmed.

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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Obama Appoints Elizabeth Warren To Advisory Position On Consumer Protection

Brian Beutler | September 17, 2010, 9:49AM

Elizabeth Warren, Chairman of the Congressional Oversight Panel for TARP

The White House made it official this morning, appointing Elizabeth Warren to serve as an adviser to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to help the administration set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

In a post on the White House blog, Warren writes, "The President asked me, and I enthusiastically agreed, to serve as an Assistant to the President and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau."

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Elizabeth Warren

Confusion Reigns On Warren Role At New Consumer Protection Bureau

Brian Beutler | September 16, 2010, 12:16PM

Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee the expenditure of TARP, Elizabeth Warren.

Conservatives are already calling her a banking "czar." The Obama administration is suggesting that she'll help "get the new federal agency standing." But there's still a great deal of confusion, both on the Hill and in the Obama administration about what Elizabeth Warren's new role as consumer protection adviser will be. Will she be a de facto director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? Or will her powers be limited and subservient to the Treasury Secretary? Nobody seems to know.

After a Senate vote today, three key Senators -- including Warren supporters and detractors -- admitted to not knowing what Warren's new job will entail.

Asked by TPM whether he knew what Warren's role will be, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd answered simply, "No."

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Financial Reform

Dodd Unaware Of Interim Appointment Power For Warren?

Brian Beutler | September 14, 2010, 11:08AM

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)

News reports yesterday generated speculation that the Obama administration will offer Elizabeth Warren a so-called "interim appointment" to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The authority for the Treasury Department to grant an interim appointment -- distinct from a "recess appointment" -- comes from the financial reform law itself.

In dismissing the rumor last night, though, Senate Banking Committee Chair Chris Dodd -- who authored the law -- claimed he'd never heard of the interim appointment power.

"I don't know what it is. I never heard of it before," said a flabbergasted Dodd to TPMDC. "It's kind of unique isn't it?"

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Elizabeth Warren

Progressives Press Obama To Recess Appoint Elizabeth Warren Before Congress Returns

Brian Beutler | September 7, 2010, 12:38PM

Elizabeth Warren, Chairman of the Congressional Oversight Panel for TARP

There are only a few days left until Congress returns to session, and that means President Obama faces a deadline, of sorts, if he wants to quickly fill vacancies in his administration. Obama has until the beginning of next week to offer recess appointments to nominees or expected nominees to positions that typically require Senate confirmation.

Highlighting the progressive angst about Obama's general unwillingness to exercise his recess appointment power are new website ads, produced by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, pressuring him to give Elizabeth Warren the top slot at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

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Chris Dodd

Dodd Reverses Position, Suggests Warren May Not Be Qualified To Head Consumer Bureau

Brian Beutler | August 18, 2010, 10:36AM

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd has for weeks called into doubt whether Elizabeth Warren can be confirmed to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. But for the first time this week, Dodd has called into question whether she's qualified for the job, reversing his earlier position.

"It isn't just a question of being a consumer advocate. I want to see that she can manage something, too," Dodd told the Hartford Courant.

That's a far cry from what he told TPM and other reporters just weeks ago, when his only stated concern, based on his conversations with colleagues, was that Democrats may have a hard time rounding up 60 votes to confirm her.

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Elizabeth Warren

Franken, Progressive Groups Begin Whip Campaign For Elizabeth Warren

Brian Beutler | August 5, 2010, 8:00AM

Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee the expenditure of TARP, Elizabeth Warren.

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee and its new affiliate, the P St. Project, will launch a public campaign this week with the help of Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) to whip up support in the Senate for Elizabeth Warren's nomination and confirmation to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

PCCC, in partnership with the progressive group CREDO, rounded up 200,000 petition signatures in support of Warren, and will now team up with Franken to urge members to publicly commit to voting for her.

"Elizabeth Warren has proven that she is willing to stand up to Wall Street on behalf of consumers and is the logical choice to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau," Franken said. "If appointed by President Obama, I would vote to confirm Elizabeth Warren to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau."

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Elizabeth Warren

Dodd: No Recess Appointment For Warren, Who Still May Not Be Confirmable

Brian Beutler | July 27, 2010, 1:54PM

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT)

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd cast more doubts this afternoon about whether Elizabeth Warren could garner enough votes to head the newly created consumer financial protection bureau, one day after White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs called her "very confirmable."

"I don't know, that's the question, how does he know that?" Dodd said in response to a question from TPMDC on his way in to the Democrats' weekly policy lunch.

"She's qualified, no question about that. The question is whether she's confirmable," Dodd added. "The issue is [if] you can't confirm somebody, if you go six or seven months without someone in that job, you've got a problem."

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Financial Reform

Administration Warms To Warren, The New Progressive Darling

Christina Bellantoni | July 26, 2010, 3:40PM

Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee the expenditure of TARP, Elizabeth Warren.

Even as the administration began sounding a more positive note on the potential of Elizabeth Warren earning President Obama's nod for the newly-created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, she's emerged as the clear progressive favorite for the post.

Obama's team has recently seemed to warm to the idea that Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd splashed cold water on last week, with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs saying this afternoon that she's "terrific."

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