U.S. District Judge James Boasberg blocked the federal government’s subpoenas. He said in the newly unsealed ruling that the Justice Department offered “no evidence whatsoever” that Powell committed any crime “other than displeasing” President Donald Trump.
“Did prosecutors issue those subpoenas for a proper purpose? The Court finds that they did not,” he said, adding: “There is abundant evidence that the subpoenas’ dominant (if not sole) purpose is to harass and pressure Powell either to yield to the President or to resign and make way for a Fed Chair who will.”
The ruling comes after U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro opened a criminal inquiry into Powell’s June 2025 testimony before the Senate Banking Committee, centered on the Fed’s years-long renovation of its headquarters in Washington, D.C. Powell revealed the investigation publicly in January, which he described as an attack on the Fed’s independence.
Pirro said Friday that the Justice Department would appeal the ruling to a higher court.
This is unusual. District judges don’t tell the federal government what to do. However, I don’t understand how a US government employee spending too much could possibly be a crime.
How long are Americans going to tolerate this pissant and all the other fake, treasonous ‘judges’ like him?