WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Donald Trump picked Steven Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs banker, as his nominee for Treasury Secretary:
“When Donald Trump promised change, I don’t think voters thought he meant putting Wall Street back in charge of the economy. He talked a big talk about draining the swamp, but he’s putting the ultimate insider in a key position to ensure that Wall Street can go back to ripping off working Americans.
“Mnuchin is a former Goldman Sachs banker who led a financial institution that was called a ‘foreclosure machine’ and that is currently under investigation for racially discriminatory practices in California.
“If Donald Trump is looking for somebody to dismantle protections for consumers and small businesses, he’s found a guy with the perfect resume. That might be great for Wall Street, but it’s a disaster for the rest of us. We need a Treasury Secretary who will stand up to predatory lending, not one who profits off it.”