west palm beach fla./washington battle white house democrats war appointments head top u.s. regulator consumer finance likely head court open interim action agency legal challenge lawyers say saturday richard cordray democrat step friday director consumer financial protection bureau cfpb create financial crisis protect consumers abusive lend practice name staffer leandra english act director hours late president donald trump name someone else lead agency mick mulvaney white house budget director one cfpb fierce critics cfpb brainchild senator elizabeth warren democrat liberal firebrand long crosshairs republicans say much unchecked power saturday trump tweet cfpb impose steep penalties bank auto dealers student lenders credit card company predatory lend practice devastate financial institutions democrats republicans agree trump may nominate permanent cfpb chief disagree may lead agency interim dispute could drag months senate confirm permanent trump appointment dispute federal law prevail name interim director accord democrats relevant law 2010 dodd-frank wall street reform law create cfpb stipulate agency deputy director take short term cordray announce resignation friday say name english deputy director would become act director administration officials say 1998 federal vacancies reform act give president power temporarily fill agency position except multi-member board exemption say apply cfpb saturday even justice department say memo white house right name new cfpb director dodd-frank language change cfpb directors unusual white house may name interim chief accord memo advice justice department open legal challenge alan kaplinsky head consumer financial service group law firm ballard spahr llp say issue likely decide court meantime say enormous cloud uncertainty hang cfpb kaplinsky say believe dodd-frank provide deputy director take charge short-term congress explicitly list resignation director situation deputy would step think trump win unfortunately go take kaplinsky say quyen truong partner law firm stroock stroock lavan assistant director deputy general counsel cfpb early 2016 say industry expect cfpb staff continue work agency action period almost certainly subject legal challenge despite legal uncertainty mulvaney expect show monday go office start work senior administration official say saturday white house officials say english also expect turn monday serve mulvaney deputy english could reach comment cordray person lead young agency make first time succession director test administration officials say appointment mulvaney routine white house seek guidance justice department friday announcement need decide court warren say tweet saturday industry critics say succession battle underline agency lack proper congressional oversight cfpb current govern structure dictatorship period richard hunt head consumer bankers association trade group retail bank say statement democrats consumer advocate say unfair inappropriate put mulvaney describe cfpb joke charge maxine water top democrat house representatives financial service committee say mulvaney would much power cfpb director also sit board two financial regulatory agencies white house would alarm degree direct control financial regulation supervision enforcement water say statement succession battle u.s. financial agency see head court