Selective Enforcement: Trump’s Abuse of Power Hits New Lows

Grand juries, fake fraud charges, and the chilling message to America’s democracy.

This is going to be a shorter post because, frankly, the issue is so obvious. But it’s worth laying out clearly.

Grand juries have been convened to consider fraud charges against Senator Adam Schiff of California and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook is now the subject of a criminal investigation.

All three are facing legal battles over allegations that they falsified paperwork related to real estate. What does the evidence show? We don’t know. But what we do know is that President Trump considers all three to be his political enemies—and that Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William “Bill” Pulte was the one who set this in motion.

Pulte, a frequent guest at Mar-a-Lago, hails from the family behind the largest homebuilding company in America. In 2024 alone, Pulte Homes sold more than 31,000 houses. As a wealthy real estate magnate (like Trump), Pulte fully backs the President’s push to revive the sluggish housing market. But as a die-hard Trump loyalist with no public service experience, his loyalty is to Trump—not to the rule of law.

After donating more than $1 million to pro-Trump political groups, Pulte was rewarded with the top job at the FHFA. That role gives him oversight of the government’s vast involvement in the mortgage market—and access to millions of documents, including mortgage applications.

So why were the records of Schiff, James, and Cook pulled for scrutiny? In a normal case, a whistleblower might raise a red flag. Here, it strains belief. This isn’t about paperwork. This is about Trump’s obsession with retribution.

Schiff has been one of Trump’s fiercest critics, a central player in both impeachments, and a prolific fundraiser for Democrats. Letitia James led the civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and his family, which ended with massive penalties, mortgage bans, and outside oversight of the Trump Organization. Lisa Cook, meanwhile, has drawn Trump’s ire for her role on the Federal Reserve Board, where she supported keeping interest rates high to fight inflation. Trump has repeatedly cited the mortgage investigation as justification to try to fire her—a move she is resisting in court.

The whole spectacle reeks of Trump’s vindictive character. It is yet another abuse of power. Like Richard Nixon, who weaponized the FBI and IRS against his enemies, Trump and his allies are now using a federal agency to punish their critics.

These cases are unlikely to hold up. First, they remain allegations—none of the three has been convicted of anything. Second, each likely has straightforward explanations for the supposed irregularities. Third, courts tend to frown on “selective enforcement,” when officials target individuals for political reasons.

But even if Schiff, James, and Cook are cleared, the damage will be done. They will endure costly, time-consuming legal fights—something Trump has used as a weapon for decades. Worse, their ordeal will intimidate others who might fear that the enormous machinery of government could be turned against them.

That chilling effect is exactly the point. And it should terrify all of us.