Boehner Wants Justice Department Probe Of Fannie And Freddie

House Republicans upped the ante on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Monday, calling on Attorney General Michael Mukasey to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate alleged improprieties at the mortgage giants.

“Because of the depth, sophistication and far-reaching impact of potential wrongdoing, we ask that you seriously consider the formation of an Enron-like task force or the appointment of a special counsel to spearhead the investigation,” 28 GOP lawmakers wrote in a letter to Mukasey.

The FBI may be already looking into Fannie and Freddie, as part of a larger investigation into the financial meltdown, the AP has reported.

Republicans have seized on potential wrongdoing at Fannie and Freddie, hoping to pin the blame for the financial crisis on Democrats who backed the government-sponsored mortgage lenders.

“Today’s financial crisis was triggered by a Washington culture that allowed executives at Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and elsewhere to run amok,” House Minority Leader John Boehner said in a statement.

Full text of the letter is available after the jump.

 
Continue reading post...