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Washington D.C. – The National Treasury Employees Union on Monday said a top political appointee at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau who published highly offensive statements 14 years ago is unfit for leadership in the federal government.

“It is critically important to the CFPB frontline employees represented by the National Treasury Employees Union that the Bureau’s management officials promote high standards and non-discriminatory practices,” NTEU National President Tony Reardon wrote to CFPB Acting Director Mick Mulvaney in a letter delivered Monday.

As reported by The Washington Post, Eric Blankenstein wrote multiple blog posts in 2004 that contained racially derogatory language and opinions that run counter to the nation’s civil service principles.

“That someone with a history of racially derogatory and offensive comments has a leadership position at CFPB reflects poorly on CFPB management and your commitment to fulfilling the mandate of the agency to ensure that discriminatory and predatory lending practices are stopped,” Reardon wrote.

Reardon also asked Mulvaney to pause the ongoing reorganization of the Office of Fair Lending, which would give Blankenstein more direct oversight of the agency’s pursuit of discriminatory lending practices.

“The frontline employees of the Bureau have always displayed dedication to America's consumers and they deserve to have leadership that reflects and supports their work,” Reardon wrote.

NTEU represents 150,000 employees at 33 federal agencies and departments.