Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook has sued President Donald Trump over his attempt to fire her, setting up a potential legal battle with implications for the US central bank's autonomy.
Cook has asked the court to declare Trump's firing order unlawful and void, and also named Fed Chairman Jerome Powell as a defendant.
Trump has stated there was sufficient reason to believe Cook had made false statements regarding her mortgage, citing constitutional powers that he claims allow him to dismiss her. However, Cook contends that no cause exists under the law for her termination.
Cook is part of the board that determines interest rates in the US, and her lawsuit may raise several legal challenges that could reach the US Supreme Court.
This case challenges President Trump's unprecedented and illegal attempt to remove Governor Cook from her position which, if allowed to take place, would be the first of its kind in the Board's history, said Cook's attorney, Abbe Lowell, in the lawsuit.
The allegations against Cook were initially brought forward in a public letter from Bill Pulte, a Trump ally, who accused her of falsifying records to secure a mortgage. Cook has denied these allegations, and no charges have been filed against her as of yet.
White House spokesperson Kush Desai defended the president's actions, asserting that Cook was removed for legitimate cause due to credible accusations of dishonesty in financial documents. However, legal experts express skepticism about Trump's authority in this matter, pointing out that the Federal Reserve Act restricts the president's power to remove Fed officials at will.
This legal action will not only scrutinize Trump's reasoning for Cook's dismissal but could also set a precedent for future presidents in their interactions with the Federal Reserve.
