u.s. consumer financial protection bureau director defend congress wednesday barrage republican criticism everything agency handle well fargo account scandal way personally manage job appear house financial service committee richard cordray get coy ask whether would finish term expire july 2018. republicans committee elsewhere push president trump fire cordray widely rumor possible ohio gubernatorial candidate 2018. cordray head agency since 2012 appoint former president barack obama decline step since president donald trump take office say whether serve rest term expire july 2018 insights provide say response relate question dodd-frank law create agency president could remove cordray cause longtime republican critics say cordray decisions regulator provide ample evidence fire harm cause consumers richard cordray dismiss president say house financial service committee chairman jeb hensarling hensarling note cfpb fail finalize regulatory project mandate congress write rule direct financial institutions collect data credit applications minority women-owned businesses republicans claim agency fail detect wrongdoing well fargo co rely outside investigators news report point widespread problems improper account creation cfpb asleep wheel say ann wagner missouri republican early committee could determine cfpb begin examine well fargo may 2015 bank notify regulator los angeles city attorney already pursue civil case say yet cfpb front center september 2016 high-profile 185 million multi-agency settlement announce cordray say wagner conflate issue say oversight work become exponential time cfpb levy 100 million fine bank enforcement action office comptroller currency city county los angeles probe begin 2013 los angeles time investigative story u.s. consumer financial protection chief defend agency congress