Connecticut Delegation & Colleagues File Amicus Brief Slamming President Trump’s Attempts to Dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

80,000 CT victims of financial abuse received over $45 million in relief from agency

Press Release from the Office of Senator Richard Blumenthal

U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, along with Representatives John B. Larson, Joe Courtney, Rosa DeLauro, Jim Himes, and Jahana Hayes, joined colleagues in filing an amicus brief with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. The brief responds to a lawsuit following President Trump’s firing of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) staff, which they argue was illegal and aimed at dismantling the agency.”

The brief condemns the mass firings, reiterating that Congress created the CFPB to address the abuses behind the 2008 financial crisis and that only Congress—not the President—can abolish such an agency. The lawmakers wrote, “Congress has been creating, restructuring, and eliminating executive offices, departments, and agencies since the Founding. At the same time, because power over the basic structure of the federal government is Congress's alone, the executive branch cannot unilaterally establish or abolish an executive agency.”

They warn that the Administration’s actions would be unconstitutional and disastrous. Citing the Supreme Court, the brief notes that eliminating the CFPB would “trigger a major regulatory disruption and would leave appreciable damage to Congress’s work in the consumer-finance arena.”

The amicus brief was led by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-35) and Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Former lawmakers Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Barney Frank (D-MA) also signed on.

Since its start, the CFPB’s Civil Penalty Fund has provided over $45 million to more than 80,000 Connecticut residents harmed by financial abuse—compensating victims who otherwise would not have received restitution. In the past year, Connecticut consumers also benefited from CFPB lawsuits against Think Finance for deceptive loan practices, and against Lexington Law and CreditRepair.com for illegal advance fees and deceptive advertising.