u.s. consumer financial protection bureau cfpb throw disarray battle white house obama-era officials get run federal watchdog interim basis director resign outgo director richard cordray elevate agency official replace interim basis republican president donald trump name budget chief mick mulvaney act director president name permanent successor confirm senate could take months facts cfpb cfpb creation cfpb create 2011 democratic former president barack obama aftermath 2008 financial crisis look interest ordinary borrowers prior enactment dodd frank act create cfpb consumer financial protection spread across seven federal agencies none prioritize consumer critics say allow predatory deceptive mortgage practice flourish fuel crisis agency duties cfpb federal agency focus exclusively enforce consumer financial laws mean ensure consumers access market consumer financial products service market fair transparent competitive give power issue regulations monitor range lenders bank non-bank firm previously unsupervised federal level include mortgage company payday lenders also power discipline firm misconduct since open doors levy fin deal million consumer complaints relate mortgage credit card student loan debt collection financial products cfpb say provide 11.7 billion relief 27 million harm customers figure include debts cancel reduce well compensation pay firm controversy agency brainchild elizabeth warren lead liberal voice u.s. senate agency draw strong support democrats strong opposition republicans say wield much unchecked power republicans object clause dodd frank law cfpb director could fire cause foil obama first choice cfpb director warren time harvard professor obama appoint richard cordray director congress recess republicans introduce legislation put commission charge cfpb weaken power single director congress decide fund currently u.s. federal reserve fund agency federal appeal court rule 2016 structure cfpb unconstitutional give much power director agency head answer president fire cfpb appeal rule come sue mortgage servicer phh corp. phh.n wall street accuse agency impose overly burdensome regulations large fin agency trump administration republican-led congress white house put halt rule-making cfpb trump administration focus roll back obama-era financial rule trump month sign congressional resolution let bank credit card company financial firm block customers file class action lawsuits move kill cfpb rule release july cfpb restrictions payday lenders also know small-dollar lend see potential next target republicans cfpb power concentrate enforcement power may also blunt factbox u.s. consumer financial protection bureau