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CFPB Director Cordray to Whistleblower: “Tell Your Attorneys to Back Down”
Witness Testifies that CFPB Director Contacted Her “At Night and Told Me That I Have to Tell My Attorneys to Back Down”
Washington,
April 2, 2014 -
WASHINGTON- A whistleblower testifying at today’s Financial Services Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing on allegations of discrimination and retaliation within the CFPB said CFBP Director Richard Cordray “told me that I have to tell my attorneys to back down.”
The whistleblower – CFPB attorney Angela Martin – provided the information about Director Cordray’s involvement in response to a question posed by Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX).
A transcript of the question and answer is below:
Chairman Hensarling: Ms. Martin, because we do not have a commission [overseeing the CFPB], we have one director -- did Director Cordray ever contact you personally with respect to your complaint?
Ms. Martin: Yes, Sir. Like many of the early arrivals in Enforcement [division at CFPB], because we were so small, we have an ability to speak to the director and approach him. He is very approachable and kind.
Hensarling: When he contacted you, was this with respect to your formal EEO complaint?
Martin: Yes, sir. On August 7, Director Cordray called me at night and told me that I have to tell my attorneys to back down.
Hensarling: I’m sorry, Ms. Martin, you are saying that Director Cordray personally reached out to you and asked or told you to have your attorneys back down?
Martin: Yes, sir. August 7 at 8:54 in a two minute conversation he told me to tell my attorneys to back down because he was trying to secure me a position in Enforcement. My reporting structure was the last thing to be settled and I settled it the next morning and everything was fine and I was coming back to work. We actually signed the settlement agreement on August 14. But what I did not know was on August 8, after I thought it was settled, Directory Cordray and somebody else gave that position to somebody else and that is what the fight is about now currently with the Bureau that I don’t have a position. But yes, he told me that.
Hensarling: We will fight not to let you and the other employees down.
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