Rep. Luna Refers Jerome Powell to DOJ Over $2.5B Fed Building Scandal [WATCH]

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) announced Thursday that she is referring Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to the Department of Justice for a potential perjury investigation related to statements he made under oath about the Federal Reserve Board’s ongoing $2.5 billion headquarters renovation.

🚨 UPDATE: Rep. LUNA has announced she’ll be criminally referring Jerome Powell to the DOJ for perjury re: his $2.5 billion fed building boondoggle.

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 17, 2025

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“I am criminally referring Jerome Powell to the DOJ to investigate perjury regarding his crazy $2.5BN building,” Luna posted on X.

I am criminally referring Jerome Powell to the DOJ to investigate perjury regarding his crazy $2.5BN building.

— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) July 17, 2025

She is the first member of Congress to formally seek criminal charges against the Fed chairman over the headquarters construction project.

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The criminal referral centers on Powell’s testimony before the Senate Banking Committee on June 25, during which he denied the inclusion of several luxury features in the renovation design.

In that hearing, Powell stated that the project would not include a “VIP dining room,” “new marble,” “special elevators,” or “roof terrace gardens.”

However, these elements were listed in the original 2021 planning documents submitted to the National Capital Planning Commission.

The project’s cost has risen from an initial estimate of $1.9 billion to $2.5 billion, leading to increased scrutiny from administration officials.

Jerome Powell’s office renovations ($2.5B) cost more than the new Titans stadium in Nashville ($2.1 B) or the new Bills stadium in Buffalo ($2.2 B).

That is insane.

— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) July 17, 2025

They contend that Powell either misled lawmakers during his testimony or violated federal planning protocols by modifying previously approved designs without seeking proper reauthorization.

Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought has led the administration’s criticism, accusing Powell of “grossly mismanaging” the project and violating the National Capital Planning Act.

Vought has argued that Powell’s conduct could provide sufficient grounds for his removal “for cause,” which is the only legal basis to terminate a sitting Federal Reserve chair prior to the end of a term.

Powell responded to the allegations in a letter defending his June testimony.

He stated that several design features initially proposed were later removed in an effort to simplify construction and minimize further delays and cost increases.

According to Powell, the Fed considered these revisions minor and therefore did not seek new authorization from the National Capital Planning Commission.

“The controversial elements cited were eliminated following initial planning,” Powell wrote.

“These changes were made to reduce complexity and avoid potential delays or added expense.”

The Federal Reserve maintains that while it has cooperated with the planning commission, it is not legally required to obtain approval for every design modification it deems non-substantive.

A criminal referral from a member of Congress is a formal request that the Department of Justice investigate whether a crime has been committed.

However, the DOJ is not obligated to act on such a referral.

The renovation controversy adds to ongoing tensions between President Donald Trump’s administration and Chairman Powell.

Trump has frequently criticized the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold interest rates steady despite public calls from the White House for rate cuts.

With Powell’s term set to run through May 2026, the administration’s focus on the renovation project has created a new avenue for challenging the Fed chairman’s leadership and management practices.