After Reports Trump Wants U.S. Attorney Out, American Oversight Probes DOJ Over Baseless Mortgage Fraud Claims
The U.S. attorney reportedly resisted pressure to charge New York’s attorney general after finding no evidence of fraud.
Last week, American Oversight expanded the focus of its investigation into whether the Trump administration has pressured federal agencies to pursue baseless criminal allegations, including relating to mortgage fraud, against its perceived political opponents, zeroing in on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
The move followed reports that President Trump was “poised to fire” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Erik Siebert, after investigators in his office were unable to find evidence to support mortgage fraud charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James– and reportedly resisted pressure from the Trump administration to charge her anyway. News of the attempted ouster came just days after reports indicated similar allegations against Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook were unfounded.
“Firing, or even threatening to fire, a prosecutor for refusing to bring baseless criminal charges based on the president’s political proclivities is a dangerous escalation of weaponized federal power — and it raises serious questions about the limits of unchecked power in the Trump administration,” said Chioma Chukwu, Executive Director of American Oversight. “This is not the first time we’ve seen the Trump DOJ pressure federal prosecutors to choose between engaging in unlawful conduct or facing termination. The public has a right to know the extent to which the DOJ is being used to pursue political vendettas. The stakes for the rule of law could not be higher.”
In February, then-Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove oversaw and directed the corrupt dismissal of criminal charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a move he reportedly achieved by threatening to fire subordinate DOJ attorneys, and by claiming the dismissal was appropriate in light of Adams’ political cooperation with the Trump administration — a quid pro quo. American Oversight subsequently filed a disciplinary complaint urging New York authorities to investigate Bove’s potential professional misconduct.
The nonpartisan watchdog’s new Freedom of Information Act requests were filed with the DOJ, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), and the Federal Reserve. The requests seek records that could reveal whether the administration coordinated referrals, reviews, or communications to advance the president’s political agenda.
Among the records requested are DOJ documents reflecting criminal referrals and emails from Special Attorney Ed Martin, who also heads Attorney General Pam Bondi’s so-called “Weaponization Working Group.” Martin is a central figure in the Trump administration’s campaign to punish perceived enemies and protect allies. Earlier this year, he oversaw a sweeping purge of the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office, demoting top career prosecutors who handled cases against Trump’s closest advisers and Jan. 6 conspirators. Martin, whose bid to become the permanent U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia failed in May, previously cast himself — and other federal prosecutors — as the president’s personal lawyers, abandoning the role of independent officers sworn to uphold the Constitution.
At the FHFA, the watchdog’s requests seek Director Bill Pulte’s communications with the White House and DOJ, as well as his calendars and correspondence concerning alleged “mortgage fraud” by senior officials. At the Federal Reserve, the filings seek communications between top governors and the White House during the period when Trump publicly demanded the resignation of Governor Cook.
Media outlets reported Friday that the president is “poised to fire” U.S. Attorney Siebert, a Trump appointee, after Siebert’s office found no evidence to substantiate claims that Attorney General James had committed mortgage fraud in connection with a Virginia home purchase. The firing underscores concerns that the administration is misusing federal agencies to settle political scores, with similar allegations already aimed at U.S. Senator Adam Schiff and Governor Cook.
In late August, American Oversight filed suit against the FHFA for failing to release records that could shed light on the Trump administration’s unprecedented attempt to fire Cook — a move that appeared aimed at strong-arming the central bank into aligning with the president’s policy demands — and that undermines its independence.