Opinions

Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, may have violated federal privacy laws by releasing personal information on mortgages taken out by Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook — actions that served as a basis for President Trump's efforts to remove her from office late last month.

The Senate Banking Committee voted 13-11 to favorably recommend Stephen Miran's nomination for the Federal Reserve Board to the full Senate.

The agency's proposal to remove the requirement that banks provide public notice of plans to open new branches short circuits a key means of holding banks accountable for their obligations under the Community Reinvestment Act.

A federal district court judge granted an injunction allowing Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook to remain on the central bank's board pending the outcome of her legal challenge to President Donald Trump's move to fire her late last month.

Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee voted to table a motion by Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio., to compel the Treasury Department to provide unredacted financial records related to the late child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, effectively quashing the subpoena.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said in a bulletin to banks that it will consider whether firms engaged in "politicized or unlawful debanking" when considering bank's licensing applications and Community Reinvestment Act reviews.

White House National Economic Council NEC Director Kevin Hassett endorsed insulating the Fed from political pressure but echoed Trump allies' calls for reevaluating its mission.

After 60 years as a Fed watcher with the last 30 as a Fed critic, some would say Fed basher, Ken Thomas has developed a Q&A screening tool that President Trump should use for vetting Federal Reserve governors and the Senate should use for confirming them.

A critical U.S. cybersecurity law sunsets Sept. 30, and banks say losing it would weaken defenses against hackers.

A Republican-led effort to raise Bank Secrecy Act reporting thresholds gains momentum amid debanking rhetoric as lawmakers eye must-pass defense authorization as vehicle for financial regulatory reform.