Warren Presses Pulte Over Illegal Obstruction of Congressional Watchdog

Warren Presses Pulte Over Illegal Obstruction of Congressional Watchdog

Obstruction includes failing to respond to Government Accountability Office requests for information regarding Pulte's potential weaponization of mortgage fraud allegations against Donald Trump's perceived political enemies

"This unacceptable obstruction is yet another example of your efforts to evade accountability, coming at the same time as FHFA slashed the budget of its Inspector General's Office so significantly that the office has been forced to begin winding down operations."

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, wrote to Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte regarding his agency's illegal refusal to comply with requests for information from the independent congressional watchdog Government Accountability Office (GAO). These troubling developments coincide with Director Pulte's unlawful attempt to slash FHFA's Office of the Inspector General's budget, which will result in the firing of law enforcement personnel who investigate mortgage fraud and force the Inspector General to begin winding down its operations. Last week, all Banking Democrats called on Pulte to reverse this move.

"It is my understanding that FHFA is not complying with requests for information from GAO about your referrals of mortgage fraud to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for prosecution. Such obstruction is illegal and may generate unnecessary costs, inhibit GAO's ability to protect taxpayers, and hinder congressional oversight," wrote Ranking Member Warren. "In addition, it is my understanding that FHFA is not complying with requirements regarding the audits of its financial statements, raising further questions about the agency's willingness to submit to legally-required external oversight.

"An agency cannot pick and choose which GAO investigations it deems worthy of compliance," the Ranking Member continued. "Unfortunately, it is my understanding that the FHFA has not consistently complied with GAO requests for information in recent months, despite its statutory responsibility to do so."

"Furthermore, any obstruction or delay in responding to requests for information limits GAO's ability to comprehensively evaluate the risk of fraud, waste, and abuse," Ranking Member Warren wrote. "This ultimately impedes Congress's efforts to ensure that the federal government is effectively and efficiently serving the American people and to root out governmental fraud, waste, and abuse at a moment when Americans are facing an affordability crisis."

The Ranking Member concluded by reminding Director Pulte of his statutory responsibility to comply with GAO audits and investigations and requesting answers to questions by October 16, 2026.

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