Warren Calls on Chamber of Commerce to Withdraw Endorsement of CFPB Nominee in Light of Nominee's Likely Role in Trump Administration Child Separations
Chamber of Commerce Announced Support for Kathy Kraninger Despite Condemning Trump Administration Policy Separating Children from Their Families
Washington, DC - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) today sent a letter to Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue urging him to reverse the Chamber's support for Kathy Kraninger's nomination to be Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) unless and until she turns over all documents related to her role in the Trump Administration's separation of thousands of children from their families. Earlier this week, Mr. Donohue published a piece expressing outrage at the Trump Administration's forced separation of over 2,000 children from their parents - but at the same time, the Chamber threw its support behind Ms. Kraninger, who likely played a role in developing and implementing the policy.
"I share your horror at these child separations," wrote Senator Warren. "I am baffled how the Chamber can denounce the appalling child separation policy and simultaneously support a nominee who was likely involved in developing and implementing that policy."
As the Program Associate Director for General Government Programs at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Ms. Kraninger manages seven Executive Branch agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). This oversight role involves providing "ongoing policy and management guidance," overseeing "implementation of policy options," and working with agencies throughout the year as they shift money to implement new legislation or Administration policy. DOJ and DHS are the two agencies that developed and implemented the "Zero-Tolerance Policy."
A former senior OMB official said it "would be shocking" if Ms. Kraninger wasn't knowledgeable about the zero-tolerance policy as it was developed and a former DHS official stated that it "would be likely that someone who covers DHS and DOJ (at OMB) would be working on the design and implementation" of this policy. Senator Warren asked Mr. Donohue if he believes Ms. Kraninger should promptly turn over all documents relevant to her possible role in this policy and pressed him to withdraw the Chamber's support for Ms. Kraninger immediately unless and until she demonstrates that she has had no involvement in the Trump Administration's separation of thousands of children from their families.
###
Next Article Previous Article
