Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., speaks to reporters outside the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee’s confirmation hearing for Kevin Wersh, nominee for chair of the Federal Reserve, at the Dirksen Building on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | getty images
Senator Thom Tillis said on Sunday that he is ready to end his blockade of Federal Reserve chair candidate Kevin Wersh after the US Justice Department closed its investigation into Fed Chairman Jerome Powell.
“I’m ready to move forward with the confirmation of Mr. Wersh, I think he’s going to be a great Fed chairman,” Tillis, R-N.C., said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “We were very clear that we received assurances from the DOJ that I needed to make sure that they were not using the DOJ as a weapon to threaten the Fed’s independence. So this will allow Mr. Wersh to move forward with his confirmation in a timely manner.”
Tillis vowed before the Senate Banking Committee to withhold his vote for Warsh, whom he supports, until the DOJ closed its investigation of Powell. The Justice Department was investigating Powell over alleged cost overruns related to renovations at the Federal Reserve Building.
Tillis’ vote is crucial to Warsh’s confirmation, as the Banking Committee is made up of 13 Republicans and 11 Democrats. That means a Republican defection would deadlock the panel and prevent Wersh from moving forward.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia, announced Friday that her office is turning the investigation over to the Fed Inspector General’s Office.
Tillis said he has received assurances from the DOJ that the investigation will not be reopened unless there is a criminal referral from the inspector general’s investigation.
“They have made it clear that the current investigation has been completely concluded,” he said. “The only way to initiate an investigation is through a criminal referral from one of the most respected Inspectors General.”
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