Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) referred Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to the DOJ for criminal charges.
“These are not minor misstatements,” Luna said in a statement. “Chairman Powell knowingly misled both Congress and executive branch officials about the true nature of a taxpayer-funded project. Lying under oath is a serious offense— especially from someone tasked with overseeing our monetary system and public trust.”
Luna’s letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi explains that on June 25, Powell “provided testimony under oath before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs regarding the renovation of the Federal Reserve’s Eccles Building. In his statements, he made several materially false claims,” including those surrounding project plans and renovations to the Eccles building.
“Separately, in a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, Chairman Powell characterized the changes that escalated the cost of the project from $1.9 billion to $2.5 billion as minor. However, documents reviewed by congressional investigators indicate that the scope and cost overruns of this project were neither minor in nature nor in substance,” the letter added.
Luna asserted that if Powell “knowingly misrepresented these facts–whether in testimony before Congress or in formal correspondence to senior executive officials–such actions may constitute perjury or materially false statements under federal law.”
The criminal referral follows President Trump urging Powell to resign, stating that if Powell’s remarks under oath are proven false, it would justify immediate removal. He voiced support for a Congressional investigation into Powell’s conduct.
