What We Sought
In recent months, President Trump has repeatedly called for the prosecution of his perceived political opponents. FHFA Director William J. Pulte—a Trump-Vance appointee—has also made highly publicized “criminal referrals” to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) against several prominent public officials, including Senator Adam Schiff, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, and New York Attorney General Letitia James. More recently, Pulte has also referred Rep. Eric Swalwell to the DOJ over allegations of mortgage fraud. This suggests that the nation’s chief housing finance regulator is inappropriately using his authority to access the mortgage records of the president’s perceived opponents in an attempt to support politicized prosecutions.
These referrals were then publicly promoted by Pulte, President Trump, and others on television and social media, including the release of mortgage documents and signatures. President Trump used these referrals to demand prosecutions or resignations of these officials—demonstrating a coordinated attempt to weaponize the justice system for political retaliation. And in addition, Trump has ousted the FHFA’s acting inspector general, who reportedly was trying to provide key information to prosecutors handling the cases and would be the official charged with ensuring the FHFA is following proper procedures in handling mortgage fraud accusations and referrals.
We filed FOIA requests to shed light on Pulte’s actions, including his communications with the White House regarding criminal referrals, requests made to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for individuals’ mortgage records, and much more.
What We Received
We filed a lawsuit to compel the release of requested records that may shed light on whether a federal housing regulator was used as a political weapon to target the administration’s perceived political enemies–and whether the government is withholding the evidence of this misconduct.
Records newly released in litigation by Democracy Forward reveal that FHFA acted inconsistently with the investigative safeguards of its own Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) when sensitive mortgage data for prominent public officials—including Senator Adam Schiff, Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook, and New York Attorney General Letitia James—was accessed and referred for criminal investigation under politically motivated retaliatory circumstances.
We will provide updates on the information we receive regarding these requests.
