As the Trump administration moves to dismiss or investigate a series of officials, veteran Washington defense lawyer Abbe Lowell, 73, has emerged at the center of the pushback—filing suit to contest Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook’s removal and representing recently ousted CDC director Susan Monarez, while signaling he may advise other figures in the crosshairs.
Key Takeaways
- Lowell is lead counsel in a lawsuit filed Thursday challenging President Donald Trump’s move to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook; a court held a hearing Friday.
- He is also representing Susan Monarez, removed as CDC director Wednesday about one month after taking office; her legal team alleges retaliatory targeting.
- In court, Lowell argued that “allegations of fraud have become the weapon of choice,” framing Cook’s removal as a bid to influence interest-rate policy.
- The New York Times reports Lowell is in talks with former national security adviser John Bolton following an FBI search of Bolton’s home and office; Trump said he had “no prior knowledge.”
- Lowell launched his own firm, Lowell & Associates, three months into Trump’s second term to represent people he says were unlawfully targeted by the administration.
- His bipartisan client list spans Hunter Biden, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Tom Barrack, Sen. Bob Menendez, and former Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons.
- Campaign records show Trump’s 2020 reelection committee paid Winston & Strawn LLP, where Lowell then worked; sources said some payments covered Kushner’s legal fees.
Verified Facts
Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, was informed this week that she would be removed. On Thursday, Cook and her lawyers, including Lowell, sued to block the action, calling it unprecedented and unlawful. At a Friday hearing, Lowell contended the administration was using fraud accusations to justify an effort to gain leverage over monetary policy by reshaping the Fed’s board.
Monarez, appointed CDC director earlier this summer, was dismissed Wednesday after roughly a month in office. In a statement, Lowell and co-counsel said she was targeted after refusing to endorse directives they described as unscientific and reckless. The White House has not publicly detailed the rationale beyond personnel discretion; Monarez disputes any basis for removal.
According to the New York Times, Lowell is also in discussions with John Bolton following an FBI search of Bolton’s home and office last week. Trump stated he had no advance knowledge of that search. ABC News has not independently confirmed the status of any engagement between Bolton and Lowell.
Lowell publicly argues his work is consistent across administrations. In a recent MSNBC appearance, he said he has challenged perceived government overreach under both Republican and Democratic presidents.
Lowell’s broader docket includes supporting New York Attorney General Letitia James amid pushback from the Trump administration. James’s civil fraud judgment against Trump—initially $454 million—was thrown out by an appeals court last week. In April, she was referred to the Justice Department on mortgage-fraud allegations, which she denies. Lowell also represents Miles Taylor—whom Trump labeled a traitor and referred for DOJ investigation—and whistleblower attorney Mark Zaid, who lost security clearances in March and alleges unconstitutional retaliation.
Context & Impact
Cook’s case tests the boundaries of presidential removal authority over independent financial regulators. By statute, Federal Reserve governors serve fixed terms and are removable “for cause.” Courts could be asked to clarify what qualifies as cause and whether allegations raised by the administration meet that threshold—an outcome with broad implications for central bank independence and market confidence.
At CDC, the dispute highlights the tension between scientific leadership and political oversight. If Monarez pursues legal remedies, her case could hinge on whistleblower protections, civil-service rules for senior appointees, and whether directives she resisted conflicted with established public-health standards.
Lowell’s involvement signals well-resourced and aggressive defenses for officials and lawyers who say they are being punished for policy disagreements or speech. The volume and visibility of these cases could shape how future administrations calibrate personnel actions against the risk of litigation and judicial review.
Lowell’s bipartisan track record
Lowell represented Hunter Biden, who was convicted on three federal gun charges, later pleaded guilty on unrelated tax offenses, and was pardoned by President Joe Biden. Years earlier, he advised Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump during inquiries into Russian interference in the 2016 election; campaign filings show Trump’s reelection committee paid Winston & Strawn LLP hundreds of thousands of dollars, with sources attributing some payments to Kushner’s fees. In 2022, a team including Lowell won acquittals for Trump ally Tom Barrack and aide Matthew Grimes in a foreign-lobbying case. He previously served as Chief Minority Counsel during the Clinton impeachment, and defended Sen. Bob Menendez and former Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons in federal probes. Earlier in his career, he worked at the Justice Department under President Carter and later served as special counsel to the House Ethics Committee and as special counsellor to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva.
Official Statements
“Allegations of fraud have become the weapon of choice,” Lowell told the court while arguing Cook’s removal is an improper attempt to influence the Fed.
Abbe Lowell, court hearing, Friday
Lowell said on MSNBC that he has challenged government overreach in both Republican and Democratic administrations, emphasizing a lawyer’s role in checking excess.
MSNBC interview, August 2025
Trump said he had “no prior knowledge” of the FBI search of John Bolton’s home and office.
Donald Trump
Unconfirmed
- Any formal engagement terms between John Bolton and Abbe Lowell; only reported talks are noted.
- The full evidentiary basis for the administration’s allegations underlying Cook’s removal; the court has not ruled.
- The precise directives Monarez allegedly refused and whether they violated established CDC policy; documentation has not been released.
- Whether the administration will take further action affecting the Federal Reserve’s composition or interest-rate policy beyond current moves.
Bottom Line
Abbe Lowell is positioning himself as the primary legal counterweight to a wave of high-stakes personnel and investigative actions by the Trump administration. Imminent court decisions—beginning with Lisa Cook’s lawsuit—and potential filings on behalf of Susan Monarez will determine how far the White House can go in reshaping independent institutions, and how vigorously courts will police the line between lawful cause and political retaliation.