Judge Boasberg Rejects DOJ Move on Powell Subpoenas
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- Judge James Boasberg stood by his decision on Friday to reject the DOJ’s request to reinstate the grand jury subpoenas targeting Fed chair Jerome Powell.
- Judge James Boasberg had previously quashed the subpoenas last month, finding the probe was intended to pressure Powell into yielding to President Trump or resigning.
- U.S. Department of Justice argued the subpoenas were necessary for a fraud probe, but the judge said the government presented no evidence of fraud regarding the Fed’s multibillion‑dollar building renovations.
- U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C. announced it will appeal the ruling, describing the decision as judicial interference with its access to the grand jury.
- Sen. Thom Tillis has pledged to block the Senate confirmation of Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee to replace Powell, until the investigation is resolved.
- Kevin Warsh remains in confirmation limbo as the DOJ investigation continues, with his term as Fed chair expiring next month.
- Jeanine Pirro said the investigation process had been “arbitrarily undermined by an activist judge.”
Why it matters: The judge’s refusal blocks the DOJ’s access to the grand jury, preserving Powell’s immunity and forcing the administration to appeal, while prolonging a political standoff that stalls Kevin Warsh’s Senate confirmation and keeps the Fed’s leadership in limbo, delaying any policy shifts that a new chair might bring.
