“Mr. Otting previously served as the CEO of OneWest from 2010 to 2015. During that time, the bank had a well-documented record of consumer complaints, a questionable response to regulatory inquiries, and executed tens of thousands of foreclosures. “
“In selecting Mr. Quarles, the Trump Administration has reached back to the economic team of the Bush Treasury, where Mr. Quarles served from 2001 to 2006…. Like the rest of the Bush Administration team, Mr. Quarles showed no evidence of being aware of the historic meltdown of the U.S. and global financial sector that was about to occur, or of the significance of the toxic and fraudulent Wall Street activities that were taking place on his watch.”
“…The essence of SoFi’s application is a request to seek the benefits of federal deposit insurance without subjecting SoFi itself or its private equity owners to the well-founded requirements for bank holding companies. The FDIC should not approve the application to facilitate this regulatory arbitrage. …If its application is granted, SoFi will be the first new ILC to secure deposit insurance in over a decade. That will send a clear signal to the marketplace that the FDIC intends once again to approve ILC deposit insurance applications. FDIC should not grant SoFi’s application and allow the ILC loophole to be revived.”
Americans for Financial Reform submitted comments to the Department of Education in strong opposition to any delay to or re-opening of the Borrower Defense to Repayment and Gainful Employment regulations. The Department of Education (the “Department”) has already conduced the arduous process of negotiated rulemaking on both of these rules, where all constituencies were able to weigh in. Establishing new negotiated rulemakings on these rules is a waste of taxpayer money and government resources.
“Americans for Financial Reform (AFR) appreciates the opportunity to provide this statement for the record of this Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee hearing, which considers several bills that would significantly undermine consumer financial protection and the safety and soundness of the financial system. Although the hearing is entitled “Examining Legislative Proposals to Provide Targeted Regulatory Relief to Community Financial Institutions,” the bills under consideration are not focused principally on community financial institutions. The most sweeping provisions of these bills apply to all institutions, many of which would radically decrease oversight of the nation’s largest banks and increase the risk of harm to the public.”
AFR sent the letter below to the Senate Agriculture Committee urging Senators to oppose the nomination of Christopher Giancarlo for chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. AFR Opposition Letter To Confirmation of J Christopher Giancarlo