Covid-19 Response to Drive Biden’s CFPB in Early Days

President-elect Joe Biden has said his administration’s primary focus in its early days will be combating the Covid-19 pandemic, and that is likely to hold true at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as well.

A Biden CFPB is expected to be far more aggressive monitoring banks and financial companies for compliance with mortgage and student loan forbearance, credit reporting, and other protections included in pandemic relief legislation.

That could give the CFPB’s new management cover from Republican and industry critics, at least in its opening months, said Michael Gordon, a partner at Bradley Arent Boult Cummings LLP.

“People are hurting, ...