US judge throws out justice department subpoenas to Fed, citing ‘thin’ evidence

US Judge Throws Out Justice Department Subpoenas to Fed

A US judge has thrown out Justice Department subpoenas to the Federal Reserve, citing ‘thin’ evidence. The subpoenas were related to the renovation of the Fed’s Washington headquarters and alleged that Fed Chair Jerome Powell may have misled Congress about the cost.

The judge, U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, found that the government had produced ‘essentially zero evidence’ to suspect Powell of a crime and that the subpoenas were issued for an improper purpose, namely to harass and pressure Powell.

The ruling is a significant setback for the Justice Department and may have implications for the balance of power between the department and the Federal Reserve in future investigations.

Sources

• AP News – ‘Federal judge quashes Justice Department subpoenas to Fed’
• ABC News – ‘Judge blocks DOJ subpoenas in Fed Chair Jerome Powell probe’
• The Washington Post – ‘Court blocks Justice Department subpoenas of Federal Reserve’
• The Telegraph Herald – ‘Judge quashes subpoenas in Justice Department’s investigation of Fed chair’
• PBS NewsHour – ‘Judge blocks DOJ subpoenas to Federal Reserve’