Bill Pulte, the Federal Housing Finance Agency Director, announced on Thursday night that he has filed a second criminal referral with the Department of Justice regarding Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook. Cook, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, is currently facing efforts from Trump to remove her from her position.
In a post shared on X, Pulte highlighted that the new referral pertains to Cook’s mortgage on a condominium in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He claims there were misrepresentations in her government ethics filings concerning this condo and two other properties owned by her during her tenure as a Fed governor. “3 strikes and you’re out,” he tweeted, accompanying his message with images of his letter directed to Attorney General Pam Bondi and top DOJ official Ed Martin that outlines the allegations against Cook.
Pulte’s referral hints at Trump’s legal challenges regarding Cook’s removal, particularly addressing whether he has the authority to dismiss her for cause, given that the first referral pointed to actions that allegedly took place prior to Cook’s appointment to the Federal Reserve. Earlier on the same day, Cook initiated a lawsuit against Trump in a federal court in Washington, D.C., aiming to prevent what she describes as his unprecedented attempt to oust her.
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Trump referenced Pulte’s initial criminal referral against Cook, which involved accusations of false representations on mortgage applications related to two homes, in his notification to her about the termination. Pulte, a Trump appointee, has been vocal in his criticisms of Cook, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, and the Federal Reserve’s recent policies.
