“The
first
thing
GAO
does
as
any
work
begins
is
to
determine
the
full
scope
of
what
we
will
cover
and
the
methodology
to
be
used.
This
can
take
a
few
months,
and
until
that
is
done,
we
cannot
provide
any
estimates
on
a
completion
date,”
the
spokesperson
said. 

Sens.

Elizabeth
Warren
(D-Mass.),
Sheldon
Whitehouse
(D-R.I.),

Catherine
Cortez
Masto
(D-Nev.),
Jack
Reed
(D-R.I.),
Tina
Smith
(D-Minn.),
Chris
Van
Hollen
(D-Md.),
Lisa
Blunt
Rochester
(D-Del.)
and
Richard
Durbin
(D-Ill.)
requested
the
GAO
review
of
Pulte’s
actions.  

The
senators
requested
an
investigation
into
the
existing
laws,
regulations,
processes,
procedures
and
standards
governing
mortgage
fraud
investigations
at
the
FHFA.
This
includes
how
cases
are
referred
to
the

DOJ,
the
disclosure
of
personal
financial
records,
any
changes
implemented
under
Pulte’s
leadership
and
the
controls
currently
in
place.

Pulte
has
made
criminal
referrals
against
New
York
Attorney
General

Letitia
James,
Sen.

Adam
Schiff
(D-Calif.),

Federal
Reserve
Gov.

Lisa
Cook
and
Rep.

Eric
Swalwell
(D-Calif.).

The
senators
wrote
that,
“it
is
unclear
why
Pulte
made
these
claims,
how
he
accessed
the
information
as
Director
to
make
such
claims,
and
whether
and
how
official

FHFA
resources
—
staff
time,
government
communications
systems,
or
privileged
data
—
were
used
to
do
so,”
the
senators
wrote. 

They
also
said
that
publicly
disclosing
the
criminal
referrals
could
violate

federal
privacy
laws,
including
the
Privacy
Act
of
1974.

Reports
suggest
that
Pulte’s
methods
were
questioned
internally,
prompting

Fannie
Mae
officials
to
investigate
whether
he
improperly
obtained
mortgage
records
of
Democratic
officials.
Some
of
these
officials
were
subsequently

fired,
according
to
The
Wall
Street
Journal. 

Suzanne
Libby,
Fannie
Mae’s
chief
ethics
officer,
was
removed,
and
Danielle
McCoy,
who
served
as
general
counsel,
resigned
under
pressure.
The
FHFA’s
acting
inspector
general,
Joe
Allen,
who
forwarded
the
report
to
prosecutors,
was
also
asked
to

step
down.