By Blessing Nweke
Prosecutors working for Jeannine Pirro made an unannounced visit Tuesday to the headquarters of the Federal Reserve, escalating an already contentious investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
According to an email from outside counsel Robert Hur, three officials from Pirro’s office arrived at the central bank’s downtown Washington construction site requesting a “tour” and seeking to “check on progress” of a long-running renovation project. The officials were ultimately turned away, Hur said, citing legal concerns and a recent court ruling limiting the probe.
The surprise visit comes as the investigation into Powell’s congressional testimony about the renovation appears to be losing momentum. Earlier this year, Pirro’s office issued subpoenas targeting the Fed, prompting pushback from Powell, who warned that political pressure could undermine the institution’s independence.
On March 13, Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg blocked those subpoenas, stating the government had presented “essentially zero evidence” of wrongdoing. A subsequent attempt to revive the subpoenas was also rejected earlier this month.
Hur reiterated that ruling in his email, urging prosecutors not to bypass the courts. “It is not appropriate for you to try to circumvent it,” he wrote.
Pirro defended the attempted inspection, arguing that a project with cost overruns nearing 80% warrants scrutiny, especially given the Fed’s role in U.S. monetary policy.
The episode has also complicated the Senate confirmation process for Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee to succeed Powell. Senator Thom Tillis said he would block Warsh’s advancement until the probe is dropped, while Senator Tim Scott expressed confidence the matter would soon be resolved.
Original article
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