Tom B. Pahl is the Deputy Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
- Worked previously at a corporate law firm where he represented several CFPB-regulated industries including consumer reporting agencies, debt collectors, debt buyers, and creditors.
- Pahl’s position was created at a time Mulvaney reportedly viewed “debt collection rulemaking as a priority.” Mulvaney praised Pahl’s ability to “make this priority a reality.”
- With Pahl’s guidance, the CFPB proposed a new rule to allow debt collectors to harass consumers with an unlimited number of unsolicited texts and emails, oftentimes over “zombie” debts too old to be legally pursued or that don’t even belong to the person.
- While an industry lawyer, Pahl publicly railed against CFPB restrictions on how many times collectors can contact consumers, arguing the Bureau “‘should abandon these efforts as an exercise in ‘regulatory humility.’”
- Called the Trump Administration’s regulatory moratorium a “much-needed pause” and encouraged industries to “assist in identifying rules that are most important to change.”
- Appeared as “a frequent speaker” at ritzy events hosted by debt collection industry trade groups that have spent over $1.72 million on lobbying since President Trump took office – a habit he has continued while working at the CFPB.