The Justice Department is investigating a fraud probe spearheaded by Donald Trump’s favorite bootlicker and director of federal housing.
Bill Pulte, 37, a 5’8 Trump loyalist referred to as “Little Trump” for his shameless tactics, has been overseeing a mortgage-fraud investigation into Trump nemesis Sen. Adam Schiff alongside fellow Trump appointee Ed Martin.
But now the DOJ is raising serious concerns about the credibility of that probe, two sources familiar with the situation told CNN on Thursday. Investigators are reportedly looking into the possibility that a person who was working for Pulte or Martin was never properly deputized.
Christine Bish, a Republican from California named as a witness in the investigation, told CNN she appeared before the grand jury believing she would be providing information about Schiff. But prosecutors “seemed more concerned” about whether “there was conspiracy or collusion between me and Pulte or me and Ed Martin,” she said.
Bish said she has only exchanged an “occasional light message on social media” with either of the Trump officials outside of the probe.
Bish said on Newsmax in August that she had a whistleblower who “has put it in writing to me that Adam Schiff was very aware that he was committing mortgage fraud.”
But she said she was questioned more about the investigation itself than about Schiff when she appeared before the grand jury on Thursday.
“They assured me, when they interviewed me, that the focus of the investigation was Adam Schiff. And I kept pulling the testimony back to Schiff, but it seemed like they were looking for more—stuff that doesn’t exist,” she told CNN outside the courthouse on Thursday.
“You know—had I ever talked to Director Pulte? Had I ever talked to Ed Martin? Did I have any communication with them? And that’s where the conversation kept going back,” she said. “So I don’t know if they’re on a fishing exposition expedition or you know what’s going on.”
The DOJ declined to comment. Pulte did not immediately respond to request for comment.
In October, it was reported that the DOJ’s investigation into Schiff didn’t yield sufficient evidence to charge the California Democrat, leaving the matter at a “standstill.”
Schiff has denied all wrongdoing and slammed the investigation as politically motivated.
Trump has openly vowed revenge on Schiff, as well as former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James, and his former National Security Advisor John Bolton—all of whom have been indicted in the last few weeks.
Trump, in a Truth Social post in September, intended as a direct message to Bondi, begged her to begin indictments against his perceived foes. “What about Comey, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff, Leticia???” the 79-year-old wrote. “They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done… We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility.”
In October, Trump said he remained hopeful that charges would be brought against Schiff. “Adam Schiff is one of the lowest forms of scum I have ever dealt with in politics. He is a horrible human being, a very dishonest person. I have no idea what’s going on—you say he’s about to be indicted. I don’t know. You could ask Pam,” Trump said while next to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
As for Pulte, this isn’t the first time he’s been questioned over his unconventional methods, which are reportedly driving other aides insane
The director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency came under fire this month after it was reported that he talked the president into proposing replacing 30-year mortgages with 50-year mortgages, despite experts warning the changes would trap recipients in lifelong debt.
Just two days later, news broke that a team of ethics and investigations watchdogs had been fired at Fannie Mae, a government enterprise that helps keep the U.S. housing market stable. The investigators had reportedly been probing whether Pulte had improperly obtained sensitive mortgage data on key MAGA enemies, including New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Pulte has also clashed with fellow Trump allies, tangling with Scott Bessent at a dinner hosted by Donald Trump Jr., Politico reported. The Treasury Secretary had heard that Pulte was badmouthing him to the president behind his back and became so angry he threatened to punch Pulte “in the f–king face.”
At the time, White House insiders told the New York Post that they would not put their money on Pulte. “The general consensus in the White House is that Scott would have beat that little midget’s a– and everyone would have paid big money to watch it happen,” a source told the outlet.
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