FYI Richard Cordray is from my state. He is as liberal as they come and hasn't done much other than run for political office and hold public service jobs. I met him once when I testified for a (state government) committee he was on. A nice enough fellow personally, he's just a true-believer liberal Dem, which of course is why Obama wants him on his team.
Both appointements were made with Congress in recess, and both were surprises. After Bush lost the Congress in 2006, Reid kept them in session, and Bush made no more attempts to recess appoint.
You are technically WRONG!! The “exceptions” you cite are when Congress ACTUALLY went into recess. During the later Bush years when Congress was controlled by Democrats, they started this “pro forma” sessions to PREVENT Bush from doing recess appointments - and Pres. Bush didn’t defeat the intent of Congress.
So - the Democrats started the process of “pro forma” sessions to prevent recess appointments - and thus blocked Pres. Bush from doing further recess appointments. I believe that this is a legitmate “check” on Presidential powers, was first used by Democrats, and therefore its abuse by a Democrat President is a gross violation of the Constitution.
As a fellow Ohioan, that’s always been the impression I’ve gotten from him. I just can’t believe that a 5-time Jeopardy champion could be so stupid when it comes to politics.