WASHINGTON (AP) — White House officials say they will pressure Republican lawmakers from seven states ahead of this week’s expected Senate vote on the confirmation of Richard Cordray to head the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
In a conference call with reporters, aides said the White House will use briefings and interviews with local journalists and statements from local elected officials to try persuading GOP senators to back Cordray in a vote they said could occur Thursday. The seven states — Alaska, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Nevada, Tennessee and Utah — all have Republican senators that the White House is hoping to win over.
Republicans have said they will block Senate confirmation of anyone to head the agency until other regulators and Congress have more control over the bureau.
