American Oversight Condemns Trump DOJ’s Politicized Probe Targeting Fed Governor Lisa Cook
The investigation is the latest escalation of the Trump administration’s weaponization of federal power to achieve its partisan agenda.
On Thursday, American Oversight condemned the Department of Justice for opening what appears to be a politically motivated investigation into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. This latest investigation follows recent attacks on Cook from Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte, who referred her for investigation in a clear abuse of power designed to provide cover for Trump’s unlawful attempt to fire her.
“This investigation is not about facts or law — it’s about politics. Donald Trump and his allies at the FHFA and Justice Department are weaponizing the government to target an independent Federal Reserve governor because she refuses to bow to their agenda,” said Chioma Chukwu, Executive Director of American Oversight. “By handing this probe to Ed Martin — the same official who openly described himself and fellow U.S. Attorneys as ‘President Trump’s lawyers’— the administration has made its intent clear: punishment and intimidation. Martin’s record speaks for itself. These abuses undermine the Fed’s independence, damage public trust in our institutions, and risk long-term damage to our economy.”
Martin has become 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 had 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 an independent officer sworn to uphold the Constitution.
Last week, American Oversight sued 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 undermines its independence. The watchdog’s lawsuit seeks to expose how FHFA Director Pulte referred Cook and other political adversaries for investigation in a bid to provide cover for Trump’s unlawful attempt to fire her.