A committee appointed by President Donald Trump to investigate allegations that Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook made false statements has rescheduled a hearing with her for Dec. 14, a White House official said Wednesday evening. The hearing had been set for Thursday and will take place at the White House.
The official said the change was made at Cook’s request. In an Oct. 14 letter, her lawyer, Abbe Lowell, said questions about the committee and its investigation needed to be addressed before a hearing could go ahead. Lowell said then that a hearing could not take place before December. It remains unclear whether Cook will attend the rescheduled session.
Trump established the committee of inquiry in early October to examine allegations that Cook made false statements related to one or more mortgage instruments. Cook has denied wrongdoing.
The panel was formed more than three months after the Supreme Court left in place a lower court order preventing Trump from removing Cook while her lawsuit proceeds. The court said Trump’s initial effort to fire her had not given her due process to challenge the decision. It did not rule on whether the president ultimately has the authority to dismiss a member of the Federal Reserve’s board.
The committee may be intended to demonstrate that Cook has been given the opportunity to respond to the allegations. CNBC said it had requested comment from Lowell.
Sources: CNBC Markets.