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General Mar 25, 2026 at 1:12 AM

Prosecutor told judge no evidence existed to criminally pursue Powell over costly Fed renovations

Posted by bluemitersaw

https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/24/business/powell-doj-fed-renovations-judge
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McCoy818 Mar 25, 2026 +476
so they dragged him through the whole process knowing they had nothing. the investigation was the punishment.
476
habbadee Mar 25, 2026 +186
The process is the punishment, and mission accomplished
186
SelesnyaGOAT Mar 25, 2026 +46
“You can beat the charges but you can’t beat the ride.” This tactic has deep roots in America
46
sherm-stick Mar 25, 2026 +12
Typically how big biz keeps new entrants from threatening their market. Keep the barriers to entry extremely high and mire new competition in regulation/litigation/paperwork
12
EuphoricMidnight3304 Mar 25, 2026 +6
Jerome called his lawyer and said please take care of this. That was the process. It was a sham
6
Mattloch42 Mar 25, 2026 +3
See: Impeachment #1. It wasn't about *actual* corruption, it was about *the implication*.
3
WaffleHouseGladiator Mar 25, 2026 +84
Trump's career has essentially revolved around burying adversaries in legal quagmires.  It's not remotely surprising that he's continuing to do so as President.  If he can't win, he'll make things as painful as possible and sap the resources of the other party.
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jupiterkansas Mar 25, 2026 +27
Except now he has the most powerful legal team in the country. At least they're incompetent.
27
MayorOfBluthton Mar 25, 2026 +25
The most powerful legal team, and taxpayers footing the bill.
25
Azagar_Omiras Mar 25, 2026 +24
Police and prosecutors do this everyday to average citizens. Either take a plea deal or spend possibly years fighting and additional years trying to sue for illegal arrest or malicious prosecution.
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DocPsychosis Mar 25, 2026 -11
Seeing completely fabricated charges with zero actual supporting evidence is pretty rare. "Every day" is quite a stretch.
-11
azhillbilly Mar 25, 2026 +11
I wish it was rare. Fighting a case for my stepson right now that’s a he said she said situation with zero evidence. Been 2 years and they want him to plead guilty and take counseling, probation with daily check ins, and all the rest of the c*** till he’s 18.
11
tazztsim Mar 25, 2026 -7
Dude maybe when your kid is being charged as “he said she said” aka an assaulter of some kind maybe don’t randomly bring it up to fail at proving a point.
-7
fresh-dork Mar 25, 2026 +3
you just woke up today and chose violence.
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tazztsim Mar 25, 2026 -3
You a felon too?
-3
Azagar_Omiras Mar 25, 2026 +7
Hey felons are doing amazing things these days. One was even elected president.
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azhillbilly Mar 25, 2026 +6
What? It’s a good example. There’s a pile of evidence that says he’s innocent, like f****** nothing on the video, no witnesses, no evidence of any kind, except for a kid saying something to get out of school early. So unless you think a kid can move120 ft faster than the frames in a video, and cause severe injuries that heal within a day, then it’s a bullshit charge. You must work for the court.
6
tazztsim Mar 25, 2026 -8
I’m sure you’re super neutral and totally truthful. 👍🏻
-8
azhillbilly Mar 25, 2026 +3
Yeah. You are right, kids have super powers these days. And that’s why the court has refused to bring it to trial and set extensions every single month for 21 months, because it’s an open and shut case right?
3
tazztsim Mar 25, 2026 -2
Whatever you say hun. I personally wouldn’t be bragging about my kid dodging a charge unprompted for no reason. At best it’s anticdata that means nothing.
-2
willit1016 Mar 25, 2026 +8
No pony is this race. But what the other guy is saying is legit that it happens quite often, now all the time is a bit much. I don't have the particulars of his situation but I have seen and heard this type of prosecution enough to know it existed.
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azhillbilly Mar 25, 2026 +5
Man, you are such a piece of shit.
5
independently_minded Mar 25, 2026 +24
Yeah, been the case many times (look no further than James Comey lol). I mean he was looking to get something out of it as well. Trump wanted rates lower and Powell was in his way. Despite having no evidence, Trump likes to use the threat to get people to do things, with varying results depending on the individual. First he tried public shaming / threats, then tried to circumnavigate the law to fire him, and finally a fabricated charge. Ultimately the person he appoints will just lower rates to wherever he wants anyway…and as a bonus, he can and will blame Powell when the economy inevitably crashes. Why does he want lower rates? (1) Short-term economic boost to help favorability despite longer term consequences and (2) inflation of equity and asset prices. All of which disproportionately benefit wealthier people. The biggest benefit to your everyday person would normally be lower mortgage rates / increased home value, but since so many people are locked in at generationally low rates from COVID it wouldn’t really move the needle much on that either.
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Defiant_Tomatillo907 Mar 25, 2026 +4
It’s what they always do / Trump’s playbook since forever. Drag people through frivolous lawsuits and delay,delay, delay
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McCoy818 Mar 25, 2026 +3
yep the legal system rewards whoever has more money to burn on lawyers. its not about being right its about outlasting the other side financially
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talex365 Mar 25, 2026 +3
If that’s the case this is when the judge should start considering sanctioning the prosecution
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ezagreb Mar 25, 2026 +4
Powell said as much in his rebuttal to being charged
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McCoy818 Mar 25, 2026 +1
yeah exactly, at least powell was willing to say it out loud. more than most would do in that position
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playfulmessenger Mar 25, 2026 +3
We used to ban frivolous lawsuits and disbar lawyers who kept taking frivolous lawsuit cases.
3
JBRifles Mar 25, 2026 +2
One of Trump’s toadies went on Fox before the last election and told the US that if they couldn’t prosecute Trump‘s enemies under the law, then they would just hound them and make their lives a living hell
2
AudibleNod Mar 25, 2026 +353
Isn't the Oval Office covered in gold?
353
GDZ4VR Mar 25, 2026 +141
to be fair it’s probably plastic
141
Zardotab Mar 25, 2026 +31
Like Donald's orange face.
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quats555 Mar 25, 2026 +17
….but paid for at the cost of gold, of course.
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fresh-dork Mar 25, 2026 +1
paid to a contractor he owns
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SkiingAway Mar 25, 2026
Bold of you to think he's ever paid a contractor.
0
fresh-dork Mar 25, 2026 +1
of course he has, when there's grift to be had.
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Squire_II Mar 25, 2026 +2
All those identical decals you see in the background of pictures of Trump in the WH are injection molded plastic decals you can order on sites like Temu and Alibaba, which Trump then had (spray) painted gold.
2
cunctator_maximus Mar 25, 2026 +5
And ketchup
5
dontrike Mar 25, 2026 +5
The realest gold paint you can buy
5
hitsujiTMO Mar 25, 2026 +21
Gold leaf.
21
OutlawSundown Mar 25, 2026 +34
Spray paint
34
mac979s Mar 25, 2026 +7
is his toilet spray painted?
7
hakhazar Mar 25, 2026 +11
Every time the orange shitibbon eats McDonalds it gets sprayed. Not gold, but sprayed.
11
Ludwigofthepotatoppl Mar 25, 2026 +2
Sprays shit like a hippopotamus
2
JeremyAndrewErwin Mar 25, 2026 +5
Now I want to see a mugshot of a Donald Trump high off huffing spray paint.
5
tabrizzi Mar 25, 2026 +1
Fool's gold
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FlaAirborne Mar 25, 2026 +159
Can the defendants in these retaliatory prosecutions sue for malicious prosecution?
159
dremxox Mar 25, 2026 +51
It's torts all the way down.
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independently_minded Mar 25, 2026 +75
You would think, but sovereign / prosecutorial immunity at the federal level makes it basically impossible. There is also a pretty high bar generally for malicious prosecution, particularly ‘proving’ malice + lack of probable cause (no matter how obvious it may seem). Separately, I don’t get the sense that Powell is someone who wants to drag this out / make a scene of it. He’s incredibly stoic / steadfast, but he’s not looking to make a scene.
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Ok_Cheetah_6251 Mar 25, 2026 +48
We need more people willing to make a scene.
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independently_minded Mar 25, 2026 +17
Bingo. The support is there but the leadership and follow through (beyond paying lip service) are not. Unfortunately, that is more endemic than just one man. People who only view Trump as a disease, and not a symptom of a broken system that enabled him to exist, are missing a large portion of the story.
17
SkunkMonkey Mar 25, 2026 +5
Finally, someone that gets it. Trump is a symptom. The disease is the GOP. They are a cancer killing the US from the inside out. Even if Trump were to die tomorrow, the GOP would remain in power. Now they even have the power of force to make sure they can stay in power. The admin does not care about current law and the Constitution because they fully intend to replace them, so why should they feel beholden to them?
5
O_PLUTO_O Mar 25, 2026 +6
That judge last year that blocked voter files to the justice department had her house burn down made a scene
6
Cormacolinde Mar 25, 2026 +9
The lawyers involved in these frivolous lawsuits can get in trouble with the bar though. At some point the Trump regime might run out of lawyers to do their bidding.
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gentoofoo Mar 25, 2026 +9
Thats why theyre trying to get rid of the bar
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Zardotab Mar 25, 2026 +10
No, because the demented orange b****** has a *Do-Evil-For-Free* card from the GOPscotus. Magna Carta is dead. And he'll pardon any of his toadies who participated.
10
kdlangequalsgoddess Mar 25, 2026 +12
Magna Carta was imposed by the English barons on King John by the point of a sword. I actually saw a copy of Magna Carta at Salisbury Cathedral. There was a small bronze sculpture nearby that showed King John signing Magna Carta very clearly under protest. The barons are standing over him, just to make sure he didn't sign the medieval equivalent of Mickey Mouse. One has his sword half drawn from its scabbard, as if to underline the consequences of him not hurrying up and signing the damn thing. Rulers never give up power without a fight. Ever.
12
DungPedalerDDSEsq Mar 25, 2026 +74
This is literally what Jerome Powell said on camera back when Trump started waving it around like some kind of threat. In fact, I think it was a couple of times.
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independently_minded Mar 25, 2026 +33
I remember seeing his reaction live with them in the construction hats 10/10. And I knew at that point Trump was laying the groundwork to use this against Powell. And I knew (hopefully) it would fall apart. So many of his moves are obvious…and obviously corrupt / without backing. Think he’s just so used to bullying people to get his way. But not with my boy J Powell.
33
steve_ample Mar 25, 2026 +84
"Your honor, the legal doctrine applied here is not so much the burden of proof, but rather applying burdens onto others in a pathetic attempt to threaten them"
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no_infringe_me Mar 25, 2026 +2
A real SLAPP in the face
2
REiiGN Mar 25, 2026 +32
DoJ is ran by f****** morons now.
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independently_minded Mar 25, 2026 +8
Morons? Yes. Corrupt? Very much yes. They are dumb, but only in their inability to follow through on their corruption lol
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independently_minded Mar 25, 2026 +5
Correction: that’s not the only way they are dumb, just for purposes of this
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masklinn Mar 25, 2026 +3
Doesn’t really matter, this is vindictive prosecution dictated by the Fanta menace. They’re spending your money to make people waste money, time, lose sleep, and stress out. It was so flagrant here the judge literally came out and said it: > There is abundant evidence that the subpoenas’ dominant (if not sole) purpose is to harass and pressure Powell either to yield to the president or to resign and make way for a Fed Chair who will.
3
tabrizzi Mar 25, 2026 +18
>At a high-stakes hearing on March 3, the prosecutor, George A. Massucco-LaTaif, was asked, “What evidence is there of fraud or criminal misconduct in relation to the renovations?” >“We do not know at this time,” Massucco-LaTaif responded, according to a now-unsealed transcript of the court proceedings. “However, there are 1.2 billion reasons for us to look into it.” Funny and sad at the same time.
18
Murgatroyd314 Mar 25, 2026 +14
“We have no evidence that a crime occurred, so we need to keep looking until we find something.” (Paraphrased) In other words, the whole thing is a fishing expedition.
14
BarCompetitive7220 Mar 25, 2026 +8
trump is officially one of the biggest losers and I suspect will own that title as a potus
8
Katatonia13 Mar 25, 2026 +1
He would never be on top of that reality tv show. Not that it’s a good honest show.
1
Ok_Cheetah_6251 Mar 25, 2026 +5
Because no crime was committed.
5
Hydroxychloroquinoa Mar 25, 2026 +6
My inlaws would call that an activist judge
6
Pre3Chorded Mar 25, 2026 +5
I hope someone is going to the state bar associations with the unethical lawyering by the Trump Rats.
5
dregan Mar 25, 2026 +5
I can think of some costly renovations that warrant a criminal pursuit.
5
MultiGeometry Mar 25, 2026 +4
The prosecutor is saying this? Why the hell is the prosecutor bringing the case?
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Surv0 Mar 25, 2026 +7
Because Daddy Trump told him too, regardless of the evidence of viability. This is how Trump smears his opponents.
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bertfotwenty Mar 25, 2026 +3
Get fucked again, trump! Suck another fat d***
3
bidhopper Mar 25, 2026 +3
Trump wants Powell gone so he can a manipulate the Fed. Powell vowed to stay until the trial was over. Trump dropped the charges to expedite his departure.
3
Blueskyminer Mar 25, 2026 +2
Of course not. The prosecution attempt was just a vendetta against a guy with superior intelligence and integrity by someone maggot-ridden and orange. Trump is a piece of shit.
2
theClumsy1 Mar 25, 2026 +1
Why did CNN decide to put "costly" in the headline?
1
CanadianDiver Mar 25, 2026 +1
ICE wrongful death payouts are going to DWARF any perceived 'over-spending' on this project.
1
iCCup_Spec Mar 25, 2026 -3
Maybe work on lowering the cost of construction materials. Or really just do anything properly for once.
-3
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