Lawyer for Fed's Cook denounces Trump's latest attempt to remove her

Federal Reserve Governor ​Lisa Cook challenged President Donald ​Trump's latest attempt ‌to remove ​her from her role, with her lawyer questioning the objectivity of ‌a White House probe into allegations she committed mortgage fraud, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Tuesday. In the ‌letter to the White House, Cook's lawyer, ‌Abbe Lowell, said the governor would not be able to attend a hearing scheduled for November 5 because she would be fulfilling ⁠her duties ​in Europe "at ⁠financial and monetary policy meetings."

Lowell said the earliest that any ⁠hearing could take place was after the Fed's policy meeting ​scheduled for December 8-9. Trump has been trying to ⁠fire Cook for more than a year as he moves to ⁠exert ​more control over a central bank he says is refusing for political reasons to lower interest ⁠rates. He has launched a new inquiry into Cook. Her lawyers ⁠had ⁠said any fair hearing would show there is no legal basis for firing her.