Lisa Cook's lawyers challenge White House inquiry

Lawyers for Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook have characterized a White House committee of inquiry as “demonstrably biased.” The committee was established to investigate allegations of mortgage fraud from 2021, a claim Cook denies and for which no criminal charges have been filed.

Attorney Abbe Lowell stated that Cook cannot attend a scheduled hearing on November 5 due to official monetary policy meetings in Europe. The earliest she could appear before the panel would be after the Federal Reserve's policy meeting on December 8-9.

The legal dispute is part of an ongoing effort by the Trump administration to remove Cook from the Fed's board of governors. While the Supreme Court previously ruled that Cook could remain in her position during ongoing litigation, the administration continues to seek her removal. This conflict highlights tensions regarding the traditional independence of the Federal Reserve from political influence.