Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook’s attorney pushed back Wednesday against allegations of mortgage fraud, calling them “unfounded and untrue.” In a letter to the White House, Abbe Lowell argued that any attempt to remove Cook based on the claims would undermine the Fed’s independence. The allegations stem from a 2021 mortgage application where Cook listed an Atlanta condo as her primary residence despite owning a home in Michigan.
Lowell maintained the oversight was unintentional, noting Cook had used the lender’s site for vacation-home mortgage information and had lived in Michigan for over 15 years as a tenured professor. He also dismissed suggestions that a rental listing for the condo proved wrongdoing, pointing out Cook ultimately decided not to rent it. An expert opinion from Suffolk University law professor Kathleen Engel supported the claim that no evidence suggests Cook received favorable mortgage terms or acted with intent to deceive.
The letter follows a Supreme Court ruling last month blocking Trump’s initial effort to fire Cook, citing a lack of due process. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino gave Cook 21 days to respond to the allegations, which she did through Lowell’s detailed rebuttal.
