House Judicial Democrats are focusing their attention on three political adversaries of the president, while an agency accused of “brave abuse” is starting to probe into allegations of mortgage fraud linked to the Trump administration.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is sending criminal referrals to the Department of Justice regarding potential mortgage fraud and has brought the cases of Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif), New York Attorney General Leticia James (D), and Federal Reserve President Lisa Cook into the spotlight.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) has requested that Trump’s allies and FHFA chief Bill Pulte provide all relevant documents concerning this investigation. He suggested that the agency is being utilized to “target people on President Trump’s political enemy list for investigation and slander.”
Raskin expressed concern in a letter to Pulte, stating that the agency’s selective enforcement gives the impression of a coordinated effort with the White House to conduct these investigations against designated political opponents.
He claimed that the FHFA is engaging in broad searches of American citizens’ personal financial data. Furthermore, he suggested that Peter Thiel’s data company, Palantir, is involved in assisting with an anti-AI report on individuals connected to President Trump or those obstructing the complete takeover of an independent Federal Reserve Commission.
After Pulte’s recommendation, the Department of Justice appointed Ed Martin to lead the criminal investigation. Martin had previously failed to gain Senate approval for the position of U.S. attorney.
In response to these allegations, Pulte accused the group claiming to be the primary residence of engaging in practices to secure better loan terms, with each of them denying any wrongdoing.
Raskin criticized the FHFA for allegedly weaponizing American personal data to escalate pressure on behalf of the president.
It remains unclear who exactly ordered these specific records, and the individuals targeted suggest an intent to punish and discredit critics of President Trump, according to Raskin.
Pulte has yet to respond to inquiries for comments.
Last month, Schiff established a Legal Defense Fund as he prepares for the Maryland home investigation.
Schiff remarked that Trump, like many politicians, is exploiting the reality of having homes in multiple locations.
He noted, “So the current president is accusing me of fraud based solely on the fact that I own homes in both Maryland and California.” He clarified that both homes are considered primary residences and stated he only claimed a homestead exemption in California once.
Through his attorney, James stated that he is a target due to the “president’s political retaliation campaign.”
James emphasized that using the Department of Justice as a tool to punish an elected official is an assault on the rule of law and represents a dangerous escalation by the administration. “If there is genuine interest in uncovering the truth, we are ready to present the facts and legal arguments,” she added.
Cook’s lawyer criticized the investigation as lacking depth and described it as derivative of previous claims, mentioning that accusations against her were politically motivated.
Pulte, a staunch supporter of Trump, has contributed millions to his campaign, though he is reportedly seen as a contentious figure within the administration, drawing criticism from Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent.
Pulte recently called off a press conference intended to address Cook’s situation and, during a TV appearance, declined to disclose the source of information regarding her mortgage.
A letter from Raskin urges communication with the White House concerning all documents tied to the investigation.
He stated, “Americans deserve to understand the rationale behind the FHFA’s review of decades-old mortgages,” asserting that the manner in which these claims surfaced seemed meant to provide justification for the Trump administration to engage in further unlawful actions.
