GOP senator reams Trump DOJ for being 'asleep at the switch' with 'bogus' revenge crusade

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) unloaded on the Trump administration's attempts to investigate the Federal Reserve for allegedly mismanaging the headquarters renovation project in a new interview on Wednesday.

Tillis spoke to a reporter from The Associated Press on Wednesday, where he described the investigation as “bogus, ill-timed, ill-informed."

“There really is no path,” Tillis told the outlet.

Tillis added that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro is making matters worse for the Trump administration by pursuing the investigation, as it will ultimately extend the time Powell serves in his role. Tillis described Pirro and her team as being "asleep at the switch."

Tillis also suggested that Pirro's investigation blindsided the Trump White House.

“They should have consulted with the White House, because I’m sure if they would have, (the White House) would have said, ‘no, we can wait,’” Tillis told the AP.

Tillis's comments came just a day after the Wall Street Journal reported that Pirro's prosecutors attempted to secretly enter the Federal Reserve renovation site and were turned away by security guards. They were attempting to enter the site as part of the DOJ's investigation into whether Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell caused cost overruns exceeding $500 million on the project.

Last year, Trump claimed the total cost of the renovation project had been inflated from $2.7 billion to $3.3 billion. Powell fact-checked those claims on live TV, claiming that Trump had added the costs of a completely separate project to inflate his figures.

The investigation has also stalled the nomination of Kevin Warsh, who Trump has tapped to lead the central bank when Powell is scheduled to depart in May. Powell has said he will stay on as acting Chairman until his successor is appointed, setting the Trump administration and the Federal Reserve on yet another collision course.