Erin Witte

@erinwitte.bsky.social

Mom, partner, dog mom. Likes consumers, hates injustice. Pronounced “witty.”

What I always hear: “We can’t afford to pay our workers more than $15 an hour.” What I never hear: “We can’t afford to pay our CEO millions of dollars a year.” Funny how that works.

“The FCC is obligated by Congress & the American people, to reduce unwanted robocalls and telemarketing,” said Margot Saunders, senior attorney @nclc4consumers.bsky.social “This proposed rulemaking falls woefully short of that obligation." #EndRobocalls #ProtectConsumers www.nclc.org/fcc-proposal...

FCC Proposal Could Unleash Unstoppable Robocalls

Advocates urge Commission to rethink proposal to delete important protections for consumers and small business owners

nclc.org

There's a reason why you feel frustrated by buying airline tickets. “The airline industry is really the pioneer of some of the most ruthless and deceptive pricing practices. It’s not surprising that people feel really powerless and frustrated when they’re purchasing airline tickets.”

Round-trip vs one-way: Which airfare trick really saves you money? | Cruising Altitude

Airline pricing can be unpredictable, but here's what to know about one commonly-discussed "hack."

usatoday.com

Apparently hearing from 16,000 actual people about their subscription traps was NOT sufficient, because the corporations who profit from subscription traps didn’t get enough chances to say how much they didn’t want to stop subscription trapping. Airtight American logic from the 8th Circuit.

David Dayen@ddayen.bsky.social · last yr.

There's something poetic in procedural bureaucracy swallowing up a rule designed to end consumer bureaucracy. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Folks, Navy Federal Credit Union will no longer have to refund $80M to servicemembers illegally charged overdraft fees after the Trump Admin dismissed a case brought by the CFPB, under the Biden Admin, to protect military members. apnews.com/article/navy...

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau dismisses $95M overdraft case vs. Navy Federal Credit Union

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, led by President Trump’s administration, has dropped a case against Navy Federal Credit Union.

apnews.com

A number of provisions have been thrown out of the Big Beautiful Bill because of violations of the Byrd rule. This includes pretty much all the Banking Committee provisions, including the defunding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Office of Financial Research. All these are gone:

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

 

Funding Cap for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This section cuts $6.4 billion by reducing the CFPB’s maximum funding to 0% of the Federal Reserve's operating expenses, eliminating the agency. (Sec. 30001)

 

Pay and Benefits of Employees of the Federal Reserve System. This section cuts $1.4 billion by reducing the pay of Federal Reserve staff. (Sec. 30002)

 

Financial Research Fund. This section cuts $293 million by reducing the Office of Financial Research funding. (Sec. 30004)

 

Transfer of Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. This section cuts $771 million to eliminate the PCAOB and transfers its authority to the Securities and Exchange Commission. (Sec. 30005)

The correct way to connect the authoritarian presence in LA and the Big Beautiful Bill is that the bill gives the government the resources to do this in dozens of cities at once. So if you don't like what's happening in LA, it's coming to your town if the bill passes.

To fund tax cuts for billionaires they are slashing the funding for Wall Street cops to less than half it was when banks destroyed the global economy. Bookmark these roll call votes for when someone in your family gets ripped off. Or when the next financial crisis hits...

Brendan Pedersen@brendanpedersen.bsky.social · last yr.

Some news in our AM edition: Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee conferenced last night to discuss their approach to reconciliation. On the chopping block: The CFPB, PCAOB and up to $5 billion in cuts, depending on CBO scoring

NEWS: There will be a hearing at 11:00 AM tomorrow on the mass firing at CFPB. CFPB leadership must present someone who knows why the reduction in force was undertaken, and internal documents must be filed, along with a list of everyone fired.

 MINUTE ORDER. In light of [105] plaintiffs' motion for an order to show cause as to why defendants have not violated the preliminary injunction in this case, the Court will conduct a hearing on Friday, April 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM in Courtroom 25A. It is ORDERED that defendants must have a person with personal knowledge of the scope of the Reduction in Force ("RIF") and the decision to implement it, such as the CFPB Chief Operating Officer or the Operations Manager or Chief of the Office of Human Capital, present at the hearing. It is FURTHER ORDERED that by 10:00 AM Friday, April 18, defendants must file with the Court: copies of any letters, memoranda, or emails sent to CFPB staff from Chief Legal Officer Mark Paoletta and/or Acting Director Russell Vought this week; representative samples of any RIF or layoff notices that have been issued or will be issued on April 18; and a list of all of the employees involved and their job titles. The list of employees must be filed under seal to avoid the publication of personal information with a redacted version filed on the public docket; an unredacted copy should be emailed to the Court's Deputy Clerk. SO ORDERED. Signed by Judge Amy Berman Jackson on 4/17/25. (DMK)