Raskin, Granholm eyed for consumer agency: source

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WASHINGTON — The White House is considering Federal Reserve Governor Sarah Raskin and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm to head a new agency charged with protecting consumers of financial products, a source aware of the process said on Tuesday.

Raskin, who was recently named by President Barack Obama to a seat on the Fed's board, is viewed as readily able to win the needed Senate confirmation to the office, which was created by legislation that overhauled U.S. financial regulation.

Raskin, a former state regulator and former staffer on the Senate Banking Committee, is also seen by the White House as a candidate that would be acceptable to the financial services industry, the source added.

Granholm, who was the first female governor of Michigan, had been mentioned last year as a potential candidate for a seat on the Supreme Court.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35624500