Tag Archives: Jeff Sessions

A memo from Attorney General Jeff Sessions has revealed a policy change at the U.S. Department of Justice: DOJ attorneys can no longer send settlement money to community groups or third-party vendors not directly harmed by the defendant in question. The practice had become common under the Obama administration, as prosecutors tacked on additional settlement costs to fund groups fighting community blight and serving other mortgage-related purposes across the nation. Critics of the practice called it a “slush fund” for promoting partisan political goals.

Ocwen Financial Corporation sued the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in late April claiming Ocwen had failed borrowers in every stage of the mortgage servicing process. Though the two went back and forth about getting the ruling on the CFPB’s constitutionality expedited, ultimately the request was denied. Ocwen's bid to test the constitutionality of the CFPB has now been delayed.