Three dozen consumer advocacy groups, including the Center
for Digital Democracy, Consumers Union, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG, have
written new Federal Trade Commission chair Edith Ramirez asking her to make
sure her choice as director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection has come with
public interest and consumer rights credentials.
In the letter, they say the new director should be able to
talk tough in public about threatening marketplace behaviors and "honestly
appraise" the work of staff.
"Given the Bureau's role in protecting consumers from
the many challenges they face today," they wrote, "we believe that
the new director should be an individual who has been independent of industry,
with a record of success protecting the interests of consumers and with proven
leadership ability."
David Vladeck, the former director, exited at
the end of the year to rejoin the faculty at Georgetown University in
Washington. Former FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz exited earlier this month.
Charles Harwood, who had been Deputy Director of the Bureau, has been acting
director.
