Congressman Kevin Yoder faces ethics complaint for his support of pro-payday loan industry bill

Kansas Congressman Kevin Yoder is facing an ethics complaint in connection with campaign donations he received from the payday loan industry after he supported legislation to loosen payday regulations, the Topeka Capital-Journal is reporting.

In 2011, Yoder, a Republican from Overland Park, backed a bill that would have replaced the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with a five-person commission. Bill critics said the measure would have rendered the bureau that oversees payday lenders less effective.

Both before and after he signed onto the bill, Yoder received $24,800 in campaign contributions from the payday industry.

“We think this pattern shows there may have been a quid pro quo,” said Anne Weismann, executive director of the Campaign for Accountability, a Washington-based nonprofit group.

The group is seeking an ethics probe against Yoder and 10 other members of Congress.

Yoder had no comment.