Trump's pick to lead the top consumer watchdog agency showed up with doughnuts amid an intense legal battle
- The White House and the outgoing Consumer Financial Protections Bureau director both named a new acting director of the agency on Friday.
- Whether Trump's pick, Mick Mulvaney, or former CFPB director Richard Cordray's pick, Leandra English, will lead the group is up in the air amid a legal battle.
- Mulvaney showed up to the CFPB Monday with a bag of doughnuts.
In the midst of one of the strangest battles of the Trump presidency, Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney is apparently doing whatever he can to win over employees at the consumer watchdog agency he is fighting to lead.
Mulvaney is at the center of a battle between the Trump administration and Democrats over the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Both the outgoing director, an appointee of President Barack Obama, as well as Trump selected a new head for the agency on Friday, and the standoff has led to a legal brouhaha over the CFPB's future.
Despite the dueling director appointments, it appears Mulvaney is trying to win over employees with some sweets. New York Times reporter Katie Rogers snapped a photo of Mulvaney entering the CFPB with a Dunkin' Donuts bag.
Long-time CFPB director Richard Cordray stepped down from his post as director on Friday, naming Leandra English, his chief of staff, as acting director.
Also on Friday, Trump named Mulvaney the acting director of the independent agency. The White House has argued that Trump has the authority to do so through the 1998 Federal Vacancies Act.
The dueling moves eventually led English to sue Trump and Mulvaney over the question of who should get to lead the agency.
With the future of the CFPB's leadership in doubt, both English and Mulvaney are expected to show up at the CFPB on Monday. It is unclear if English is bringing any breakfast.