DOJ investigating handling of its own probe into Sen. Schiff

WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors in Maryland are scrutinizing the conduct of two allies of President Donald Trump in their investigation of Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff, according to a document reviewed by Reuters and two sources briefed on the matter.

The department has asked a witness in the Schiff case for any communications and documents involving William Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, or any people acting at his behest, as well as anyone claiming to be working for the Justice Department and DOJ official Ed Martin, according to a subpoena reviewed by Reuters.

Martin, the department's pardon attorney, was previously tapped by Attorney General Pam Bondi to serve as a special assistant U.S. attorney to help investigate mortgage fraud by public officials.

Pulte has made several mortgage fraud referrals to the Justice Department this year. In addition to Schiff, he also asked the Justice Department to investigate New York state Attorney General Letitia James and Federal Reserve Board Gov. Lisa Cook. James has since been charged with bank fraud and has pleaded not guilty.

The scrutiny by federal prosecutors of Pulte and Martin's involvement in the Schiff referral and subsequent investigation was first reported by MS Now.

Pulte and the agency did not respond immediately to Reuters' requests for comment. Martin and a spokesperson for Martin did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. A Schiff spokesman declined to comment.

Probe of DOJ's own actions

The subpoena, sent to California politician and real estate agent Christine Bish, asked her to provide all documentation and communications referenced in an October 2025 interview with federal agents regarding the Schiff investigation, specifically focusing on any individuals or communications coming from Pulte and Martin, or people claiming to be working for them.

It also requests communications she may have had with anyone who was "claiming to be working for or at the direction of the United States Department of Justice, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac," including Robert Bowes and Scott Strauss.

Prosecutors are looking into whether Pulte and Martin improperly deputized Bowes and Strauss to assist on the Schiff investigation and in doing so may have shared secret grand jury materials, a violation of federal law, one of the sources briefed on the investigation said.

The subpoena asked Bish, a conservative activist who previously publicly accused Schiff of mortgage fraud, to appear on Thursday before a grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland. Two sources briefed on the matter confirmed to Reuters that a witness in the investigation did appear.

Bish could not be reached immediately for comment. She told CNN on Thursday that she went before the grand jury expecting to be asked about the investigation into Schiff, but said that prosecutors "seemed more concerned" about her communications with Pulte and Ed Martin.

Pulte a key Trump ally

Agency Director Pulte has emerged as a top Trump ally by targeting perceived foes of the president with claims of mortgage fraud. But his recent actions and the ouster of the agency's watchdog, Joe Allen, have brought criticism on Capitol Hill and at the White House.

Reuters previously reported that Allen was ousted from his role as the agency's top watchdog shortly after he sought to provide prosecutors in the James case with constitutionally required discovery. Prior to his ouster, Allen was also in touch with federal prosecutors in Maryland, one of the two sources told Reuters.

According to the subpoena seen by Reuters, Bish was interviewed by FBI agents and agents from the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General in October over the Schiff matter.

Contributing: Andrew Goudsward and Maiya Keidan

Related topics