"Chaotic is generous," Pfaff said. "People have been out of work for three weeks. There was a lot of confusion about what was happening."
During cross-examination, Justice Department attorney Liam Holland questioned Pfaff about failing to alert senior officials that "urgent matters" were left unaddressed. Given the full-scale work stoppage, Pfaff responded that he understood "urgent" to mean issues beyond the agency's typical workload.
The hearing is part of a lawsuit filed by the National Treasury Employees Union and other groups challenging the administration's actions. The plaintiffs have requested a preliminary injunction to prevent further dismantling of the agency while litigation continues.
The administration has denied any plans to abolish the CFPB, citing President Donald Trump's appointment of Jonathan McKernan as the agency's director.