Senate Democrats urge watchdog to probe Trump official's criminal referrals
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Sen. Elizabeth Warren speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill earlier this month. Photo: Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images
Eight Senate Democrats are urging a congressional watchdog to investigate federal housing finance regulator Bill Pulte for potentially misusing his authority to make criminal referrals against people they say are President Trump's "perceived political enemies."
The big picture: They're demanding a probe into Pulte's recent referrals of New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) to the Justice Department for alleged mortgage fraud, per the letter from Democrats including Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
- Monday's letter calling for the Government Accountability Office investigation comes after House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) launched a September investigation into Pulte over the Federal Housing Finance Agency director's targeting of some of Trump's enemies.
Driving the news: The letter that was first reported by Reuters says Pulte's actions "demand scrutiny" from the GAO and that it's unclear "how he accessed the information as Director to make such claims."
- The senators questioned whether "staff time, government communications systems, or privileged data" had been used in the access of information.
- "There is also a question of whether Mr. Pulte's public disclosure of personal financial records and information constitutes violations of federal privacy laws, including the Federal Privacy Act of 1974," per the letter.
Zoom in: "Mr. Pulte's public accusations appear to have solely targeted prominent Democrats and public officials, including those President Trump has publicly threatened with political and criminal retribution," the senators say.
- "Taxpayer-funded agencies must not serve as instruments of partisan attack. If FHFA resources were used to target public officials for personal or partisan motives, the public has a right to know."
- The letter was also signed by Judiciary Committee ranking member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.).
What they're saying: A spokesperson for the GAO told Axios the watchdog had received the Democrats' request.
- "GAO has a process it goes through to determine whether we do work and when, which we are working through right now," the spokesperson added.
- Representatives for the White House and Federal Housing Finance Agency did not immediately respond to Axios' Monday night request for comment and the Justice Department referred Axios to the GAO for comment.
State of play: All of those named in the letter deny committing mortgage fraud and James has pleaded not guilty to federal charges after she was criminally indicted.
- Lawyers for Cook on Monday wrote in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Associate Deputy AG Ed Martin: "There is no fraud, no intent to deceive, nothing whatsoever criminal or remotely a basis to allege mortgage fraud."
- Cook is suing the Trump administration for moving to fire her and the Supreme Court is due to hear arguments in her case in January.
Read the letter in full, via DocumentCloud:
Go deeper: "No one is safe": Democrats fear Trump will prosecute them next
