Congressional watchdog will investigate Bill Pulte’s conduct

WASHINGTON – Congress’ watchdog mentioned this week it can examine whether or not Invoice Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Company, abused his place and authorities assets to accuse President Donald Trump’s perceived enemies of crimes, in line with an company letter reviewed by Reuters.

The investigation by the Authorities Accountability Workplace, an impartial investigative company of the Legislature, follows a request from November from eight Democratic U.S. senators that the company will “instantly” examine whether or not Pulte’s referrals of outstanding Democrats and administration officers to the Justice Division have been motivated by partisan politics or constituted a misuse of presidency assets.

“GAO accepts your request as work throughout the scope of its authority,” A. Nicole Clowers, director at GAO, wrote in a letter to lawmakers on Monday.

A GAO spokesperson confirmed the investigation in an announcement Thursday morning and mentioned a timeline for the investigation has not but been set. An FHFA spokesperson declined to remark. Steven Cheung, a White Home spokesman, defended the FHFA director in an announcement, saying, “Invoice Pulte is among the president’s most loyal and essential advisors, doing an amazing job.”

As head of the FHFA, an company that oversees parts of the mortgage market, Pulte was an outspoken critic of individuals the White Home seen as enemies. He has accused outstanding officers focused by Trump, together with New York Lawyer Basic Letitia James and Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook dinner, of mortgage fraud. Regardless of Trump’s reward, Pulte’s costs have lately been dismissed by courts and prosecutors.

A federal choose final month criminal cases dismissed filed in opposition to James because of Pulte’s referral. Federal prosecutors in Maryland lately began doing that as nicely Keep a close eye on Pulte’s behavior associated to Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who was additionally accused of mortgage fraud by the FHFA boss. James, Schiff and Cook dinner, the Fed’s governor, have achieved so too denied wrongdoing .

Lawmakers’ request to the GAO was despatched by senators together with Elizabeth Warren, who ranked the Democrat excessive on the Banking Committee, and Dick Durbin, who ranked the Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. “Quite than reducing skyrocketing housing prices, Invoice Pulte is weaponizing his position to focus on Trump’s perceived political enemies,” Warren mentioned in an announcement Thursday. “He have to be held accountable for this abuse of energy.”

Of their request for an investigation, lawmakers cited reporting, together with reporting by Reuters, that scrutinized Pulte’s felony referrals. In October, Reuters reported that Pulte was growing the FHFA’s Inspector General in making his accusations, skirting guidelines designed to make sure federal officers do not abuse their energy for partisan functions. Final month, Reuters reported that the White Home removed that inspector general.

In its letter to senators, GAO mentioned it could contact the FHFA’s performing inspector normal “to make sure we don’t duplicate efforts,” Clowers wrote.

Officers from the FHFA Workplace of Inspector Basic didn’t reply to a request for remark.