DOJ Probes Trump Allies for Interfering in Adversary Investigations
The Department of Justice is investigating whether Ed Martin and Bill Pulte used unauthorized outsiders to probe political adversaries of President Donald Trump.
The United States Department of Justice and FBI are investigating whether Ed Martin, the U.S. Pardon Attorney, and Bill Pulte, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, improperly interfered in criminal probes targeting political adversaries of President Donald Trump. Federal prosecutors in Maryland are examining if the two officials enlisted unauthorized outsiders, including Office of Personnel Management official Robert Bowes and private citizen Scott Strauss, to conduct mortgage fraud investigations and illegally shared sensitive grand jury materials.
The probe centers on investigations into Senator Adam Schiff, New York Attorney General Letitia James, Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, and Representative Eric Swalwell. Evidence suggests Martin may have bypassed standard DOJ protocols and shared secret information about James, who was recently indicted in Virginia. The irregularities came to light after witness Christine Bish, a Republican congressional candidate, reported being contacted by Bowes and Strauss. Bish testified before a federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, where investigators focused on her communications with Martin and Pulte.
Attorney General Pam Bondi had previously appointed Martin as a special prosecutor to oversee these probes. However, senior administration officials now express concern that the unauthorized conduct may have compromised the viability of the cases. In response, Letitia James has characterized the justice system under President Trump as a "vehicle of retribution."
