COMMERCE/CONSUMER PROTECTION/ENERGY: “The top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee asked the Trump administration Monday [2-5-18] to investigate fake online comments uncovered by The Wall Street Journal on a rule to restrict high-interest payday lending.
Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey made the request in a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s acting director, Mick Mulvaney… A survey conducted by Mercury Analytics for the Journal last year found that 40% of the comments in a batch of 13,000 comments opposing the CFPB rule weren’t actually sent or authorized by the people who associated with them.
Spokesmen for the CFPB didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
In December, CFPB spokesman John Czwartacki said told the Journal: ‘Director Mulvaney is concerned about any inauthentic data that comes to the Bureau. We intend to look into this matter further.’ Mr. Czwartacki hasn’t responded to inquiries since that comment. Industry representatives had cited comments from their customers as a reason that the Trump administration should overturn the rule. In January, Mr. Mulvaney announced plans to reconsider federal restrictions on payday loans, the first step that could lead to the easing of a rule opposed by the industry and some Republicans.
The Journal story found that many of the fake comments had come through an online platform used by an industry group.”
-James V. Grimaldi, “Lawmaker Seeks Probe into Fake Comments on Payday-Lending Rule,” The Wall Street Journal online, Feb. 5, 2018 03:57pm