Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF) President Jeffrey Mazzella this week joined with more than 50 conservative organization leaders in a letter calling on all U.S. Senators “to prevent the consideration and approval of any further nominations unless and until President Obama secures the resignations of the individuals he unconstitutionally appointed earlier this month.”

The letter is in response to President Obama’s January 4, 2012, “recess” appointments of Richard Cordray to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Sharon Block, Terence Flynn and Richard Griffin to the National Labor Relations Board. 

As the letter notes, “According to Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, the President is required to obtain the advice and consent of the Senate for his appointments. A narrow exception to that requirement allows the President to ‘fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate.’

“However, the Senate was not in Recess… In fact, the House of Representatives did not consent to the Senate taking a Recess, and therefore, the Senate was in a pro forma session.  Not only did the President make appointments without the advice and consent of the Senate, but he appointed one, Richard Cordray, whom the Senate had previously rejected.”

To read the letter, click here (.pdf).