Melvin Watt

If you look at my record throughout my whole life, from the day I started in the practice of law in a civil rights law firm, you will find nobody, or few people, who are more committed to the things that you all have talked about today.

I would certainly emphasize that if anybody here has the notion that I believe that I am above the law, they should dissuade themselves of that notion.

Due process cannot be dispensed in 5-minute exchanges of questions and answers, or by politicians...

I believe that we must listen to the claims of women who come forth with allegations of harassment, abuse, or misconduct.

It is intolerable to me to think that a mere accusation of impropriety would somehow deny him the presumption of innocence.

It is horrific to me, to think that, one day, when my daughter enters the workforce, that she might be harassed.

I am a big supporter of the MeToo Movement. I think it is a wonderful thing, but it cannot be a substitute for going through the legal process.

I will not hesitate to use my full subpoena power to compel cooperation where necessary.

A presumption of innocence is foundational to our society, as is due process.

No one is above the law.

What was needed in this industry was somebody to make responsible decisions and not let access overburden safety and soundness.

What we learned, first and foremost, is that having one foot in the public sector and one foot in the private sector does not work because when you have a foot in the public sector, taxpayers take the risk, and a foot in the private…

Unequivocally . . . it is the role of Congress, not FHFA, to make the decisions that chart the path out of conservatorship and to the future housing finance system.

The real problem was that I think because there was this competition to make money for the private sector, there developed a race to the bottom.

I don't think you would want either Republicans or Democrats, I don't think either one would want 15, 20 percent of their economy in conservatorship for years and years.

I support the concept of expanding access to affordable housing for both rental and ownership for the American people.

This is in line with my consistently repeated belief that it is the role of Congress, not FHFA, to decide on housing finance reform.

I think if you ask most people out in the public, there is actually the opinion that there is an unlimited guarantee to this space, and that is not true.

Senator, that is just not true now. What we did not do was principal reduction, but there are millions and millions of people that we have provided relief for whose homes were in jeopardy.

I think the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has become a standard for American homeowners, and it is important to retain that.

I took a lot of heat for reinstating it. But it was a statutory mandate, and I did not see a reason not to follow the statute.

There is no rational reason, if you think about it, why a superior tax lien would be having an interest rate of 10, 11, 12 percent when a lien subordinate to it is going at 4 percent or 5 percent.

But that is not a justification for an individual member of a collaborative body to make a unilateral decision to turn over confidential information.

I want to be clear that the reason I would not raise my hand is because I would not make a unilateral decision.