Senate Democrats are pressing their Republican colleagues to summon the Trump administration's top housing regulator to Capitol Hill for questioning about his turbulent tenure overseeing the nation's $13 trillion mortgage market.
Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte should be called to testify before lawmakers no later than the end of January, the Democratic members of the Senate Banking Committee wrote in a letter Friday to Republican Chairman Tim Scott.
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Among the topics they said they wanted to address: A recent spate of firings at the agency; Pulte's move to appoint himself chairman of the boards of both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-controlled companies standing behind more than half of US mortgages; the removal of the FHFA inspector general; and Pulte's "involvement with and communications regarding the mortgages of individual Americans."
"We must fulfill our oversight responsibilities related to potential harm being done by Mr. Pulte to our nation's housing finance market and in turn, to the supply and cost of housing," wrote the Democrats, led by Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Officials at FHFA didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Senator Scott's office declined to comment.
Pulte's frequently use of social media to attack political foes, as well as his surprise policy announcements and personnel changes, have
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In recent weeks, Pulte has signaled support for proposals allowing Americans to access 50-year mortgages as well as "portable mortgages." It's not clear that either plan has much traction in Congress or with the general public.
Adding to the scrutiny of Pulte, the Government Accountability Office on Thursday
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The Banking Committee Democrats on Friday also said that Pulte should "provide his calendar and time sheets" documenting how he has spent his days at the agency and at Fannie and Freddie ahead of the proposed hearing.
