Pirro Backs Down on Fed Appeal but Powell Still Seeks Closure
CNBC reported Sunday that U.S. Attorney for Washington D.C., Jeanine Pirro, has abandoned her plan to appeal court rulings that blocked her Fed investigation. Instead she filed a motion asking a federal judge to simply vacate those rulings. The move significantly changes the legal landscape around the Fed investigation but does not end it.
Pirro Pivots Away From Appeal
Rather than challenge the rulings at a higher court, Pirro asked Chief Judge James Boasberg to wipe his decisions from the record entirely. Her appeal deadline fell on Monday. Former assistant U.S. attorney Sean P. Murphy told CNBC a motion to vacate essentially asks the court to act as if prior rulings never occurred. Murphy cautioned that Pirro likely lacks standing to erase an unfavorable DOJ record in this particular context. Boasberg has not yet responded to Pirro’s latest filing.
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Background: How the Investigation Started
The Fed investigation originated in November 2025 when Pirro opened a probe into alleged cost overruns during renovations of Fed buildings and related congressional testimony by Fed Chair Jerome Powell. In March, Boasberg quashed Pirro’s subpoenas, ruling her office had provided no sufficient evidence of wrongdoing. He found substantial grounds to conclude the investigation was designed to pressure Powell into cutting interest rates at President Donald Trump‘s behest. Boasberg upheld that decision in April. Pirro had argued the ruling hampered her ability to conduct grand jury work more broadly.
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Powell’s Position Remains Firm
Powell’s term as Fed chair expires May 15, yet he stated last week he intends to remain on the Fed’s Board of Governors until the legal threat is resolved with full transparency and finality. Pirro issued a statement insisting she continues to challenge Boasberg’s rulings and wants to prevent them from creating broader legal precedent. She has not, however, presented any concrete evidence of criminal conduct since launching the probe six months ago. Pirro also reserved the right to reopen the investigation pending a report from the Fed’s Inspector General.
The standoff leaves the central bank in continued uncertainty just days before Powell’s chairmanship formally concludes.