House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi spent much of Thursday sparring over President Obama’s decision to appoint Ohio attorney general Richard Cordray to head the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Mr. Obama defied Republican lawmakers on Wednesday, bypassing Congress by invoking presidential recess appointment authority to install Mr. Cordray. The move was met with opposition by Republicans, who said it represents a breach of executive power.
“When Congress refuses to act and as a result hurts our economy and puts people at risk, I have an obligation as president to do what I can without them,” Obama said in a speech in Shaker Heights, Ohio. “I have an obligation to act on behalf of the American people.”
Speaking Wednesday, Mr. Boehner warned that the House would consider legal action on the matter, noting that Republicans “expect the courts will find the appointment to be illegitimate.”
“This is an extraordinary and entirely unprecedented power grab by President Obama that defies centuries of practice and the legal advice of his own Justice Department. The precedent that would be set by this cavalier action would have a devastating effect on the checks and balances that are enshrined in our constitution,” said the Ohio Republican.
“This position had not been filled for one reason: the agency it heads is bad for jobs and bad for the economy. It’s clear the President would rather trample our system of separation of powers than work with Republicans to move the country forward,” Mr. Boehner added.
Meanwhile, Ms. Pelosi said the move by Mr. Obama would allow the public to debate the issue, which she says she believes will ultimately side with the White House.
“Let that be the public debate with the Senate but fortunately, or unfortunately for us we do not have a role in the confirmation process but we’re glad that the president took the lead, went out there, it was bold and made the appointments,” said Ms. Pelosi, speaking in an interview with the Daily Caller.
