Editing Openai/68ae1e94-ecf4-8001-943f-85af9875a8c4 (section)

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The only accusations against Governor Lisa Cook stem from Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and a Trump appointee. Pulte alleges that in 2021, Cook listed two separate properties—one in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and one in Atlanta—as her primary residence on mortgage applications, potentially to obtain more favorable loan terms. He claims to have referred this to the Justice Department.
TIME<ref>{{cite web|title=TIME|url=https://time.com/7312213/lisa-cook-trump-fire-federal-reserve-governor-mortgage-fraud-powell-interest-rates/|publisher=time.com|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>The Guardian<ref>{{cite web|title=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/24/trump-lawfare-mortgage-fraud-lisa-cook|publisher=The Guardian|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>AP News<ref>{{cite web|title=AP News|url=https://apnews.com/article/211c3db1a5082d46449f26b865fde850|publisher=AP News|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>Wikipedia<ref>{{cite web|title=Wikipedia|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Cook|publisher=en.wikipedia.org|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>The Washington Post<ref>{{cite web|title=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/25/trump-mortgage-filings-lisa-cook/|publisher=The Washington Post|date=2025-08-25|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>CBS News<ref>{{cite web|title=CBS News|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-lisa-cook-federal-reserve-governor-bill-pulte/|publisher=CBS News|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>Reuters<ref>{{cite web|title=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/fed-governor-cook-will-sue-trump-keep-her-job-lawyer-says-2025-08-26/|publisher=reuters.com|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>

Trump seized on these allegations, insisting they constituted “cause” for removal under the Federal Reserve Act and wrote a letter claiming he was firing Cook on that basis.
AP News<ref>{{cite web|title=AP News|url=https://apnews.com/article/6fca3d2fbb54ba204cc91398e6a7b020|publisher=AP News|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>Reuters<ref>{{cite web|title=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/trumps-says-he-is-firing-feds-cook-over-mortgage-loan-allegations-2025-08-26/|publisher=reuters.com|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>The Washington Post<ref>{{cite web|title=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/25/trump-lisa-cook-federal-reserve/|publisher=The Washington Post|date=2025-08-25|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>Financial Times<ref>{{cite web|title=Financial Times|url=https://www.ft.com/content/dd3e505d-9093-4bed-8bfb-f241f7a2a3ea|publisher=Financial Times|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>

Cook, steadfast and composed, has categorically denied any fraudulent intent. She has declared her intention to remain in her position and to “provide the facts”—vowing to mount a legal challenge.
AP News<ref>{{cite web|title=AP News|url=https://apnews.com/article/6fca3d2fbb54ba204cc91398e6a7b020|publisher=AP News|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>Reuters<ref>{{cite web|title=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/trumps-says-he-is-firing-feds-cook-over-mortgage-loan-allegations-2025-08-26/|publisher=reuters.com|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>The Washington Post<ref>{{cite web|title=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/08/26/trump-fed-control-lisa-cook-economy/|publisher=The Washington Post|date=2025-08-26|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>Wikipedia<ref>{{cite web|title=Wikipedia|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Cook|publisher=en.wikipedia.org|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>CBS News<ref>{{cite web|title=CBS News|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-lisa-cook-federal-reserve-governor-bill-pulte/|publisher=CBS News|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>

===== These accusations fit into a pattern: Pulte—or Trump-aligned voices—have similarly targeted New York AG Letitia James and Senator Adam Schiff with mortgage fraud claims. Critics describe this as “lawfare”—using legal mechanisms, sometimes weaponized, against political opponents. =====
The Guardian<ref>{{cite web|title=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/24/trump-lawfare-mortgage-fraud-lisa-cook|publisher=The Guardian|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>The Washington Post<ref>{{cite web|title=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/08/25/trump-mortgage-filings-lisa-cook/|publisher=The Washington Post|date=2025-08-25|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>Wikipedia<ref>{{cite web|title=Wikipedia|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Cook|publisher=en.wikipedia.org|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>

===== Notably, owner-occupancy discrepancies are not rare. A 2023 Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia study estimated that more than 20,000 mortgage loans in a single year involved people listing multiple residences as primary to get better terms. So while the issue is real, it’s neither unique nor necessarily criminal without additional proof of intent or deception. =====
The Guardian<ref>{{cite web|title=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/24/trump-lawfare-mortgage-fraud-lisa-cook|publisher=The Guardian|access-date=2025-11-18}}</ref>