The Justice Department is reviewing how federal officials handled the inquiry into Sen. Adam Schiff after a tip to the FHFA by Republican candidate Christine Bish, who alleged issues with Schiff's mortgage paperwork. Investigators questioned Bish about FHFA Director William "Bill" Pulte — who referred Schiff to the DOJ in May — and about DOJ pardon attorney Ed Martin. Two sources say the internal review focuses on Pulte and Martin's conduct in managing the referral; the DOJ declined to comment.
DOJ Opens Review of How Officials Handled Investigation Into Sen. Adam Schiff
The Justice Department is reviewing how federal officials handled the inquiry into Sen. Adam Schiff after a tip to the FHFA by Republican candidate Christine Bish, who alleged issues with Schiff's mortgage paperwork. Investigators questioned Bish about FHFA Director William "Bill" Pulte — who referred Schiff to the DOJ in May — and about DOJ pardon attorney Ed Martin. Two sources say the internal review focuses on Pulte and Martin's conduct in managing the referral; the DOJ declined to comment.
12:47 AM, 11/21/2025Politics
Justice Department investigators are conducting a review into how federal officials handled the inquiry into Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
The review began after Christine Bish, a Republican congressional candidate in California, submitted a tip to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) alleging irregularities in Schiff's mortgage paperwork. Bish said federal agents interviewed her and asked about William "Bill" Pulte, the FHFA director appointed by former President Donald Trump, who referred Schiff to the Justice Department in May for an investigation into alleged mortgage fraud.
Schiff has denied any wrongdoing and declined to comment when asked about Pulte.
Bish told investigators the agents "weren't asking me about Schiff — they were asking me about other people who were investigating Schiff." She said officials also asked whether she had met or communicated with Pulte or with Ed Martin, the Justice Department's pardon attorney who leads its Weaponization Working Group; Bish says she has not.
Subpoena and review focus
Two other sources familiar with the matter said the internal review is focused specifically on how Pulte and Martin handled the referral and related investigative activity. Bish provided a copy of a subpoena that requests the "documentation and communications" she referenced during interviews with federal agents, including records related to "any person or persons claiming to be William Pulte," anyone claiming to act at his direction, and anyone claiming to act at the direction of the Justice Department or Ed Martin.
Pulte has in recent weeks referred other officials for review — including Representative Eric Swalwell — and has publicly accused several officials of mortgage or tax-related wrongdoing. The review appears to be aimed at understanding whether the referrals and the way they were handled followed departmental procedures.
The Justice Department declined to comment on the review. Bish said she was not under oath during her interview and spoke to reporters outside the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland.