‘Try and save face’: Top CFPB officials dismissed despite telling media they resigned, agency says

Three top leaders at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) were placed on administrative leave on Tuesday, according to a report from Fox News Digital. The Office of Management and Budget’s Chief Legal Officer, Mark Paoletta, made the decision to place Lorelei Salas, the CFPB’s supervision director, Eric Halperin, the agency’s enforcement chief, and Zixta Martinez, the agency’s deputy director, on administrative leave.

The resignations came after acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russ Vought, instructed CFPB employees on Monday to not report to work and to seek written approval before performing any tasks. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent briefly served as acting CFPB director before Vought took over in February and also instructed staffers to halt their work unless explicitly approved by the Acting Director or required by law.

Halperin reportedly defied Bessent’s order and subsequently resigned in response to being placed on leave. He was informed of his leave via email and promptly submitted his resignation. Salas, on the other hand, sent out an email in response to being placed on leave but did not officially file her resignation.

Both Halperin and Salas have ties to left-wing billionaire George Soros’ nonprofit, the Open Society Foundation, as indicated in a CFPB press release from 2021. Halperin served as a senior advisor to Open Society Foundations’ U.S. Program, while Salas received a government fellowship from the organization.

The CFPB is an independent government agency established in 2010 under the Obama administration to safeguard consumers from unfair financial practices in the private sector. The agency has recently come under scrutiny as the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, has been investigating various federal agencies for overspending, fraud, and corruption.

Protests have erupted outside the CFPB headquarters in Washington, with Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who originally proposed the agency, leading the charge. Warren criticized the administration for attempting to undermine the agency’s mission of protecting consumers.

In response to the developments, Musk posted a message on X hinting at an investigation into the CFPB, sparking further speculation about the agency’s future. The situation remains fluid, with stakeholders closely monitoring the unfolding events at the CFPB headquarters.