WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has begun examining mortgage fraud allegations against Lisa Cook, the Federal Reserve governor who is challenging a Trump administration effort to remove her from her job and erode the central bank’s independence.

Investigators have issued subpoenas as part of an inquiry into Cook, spawned by a criminal referral from the country’s top housing regulator, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss the probe and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.

A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment on the inquiry, which was earlier reported by The Wall Street Journal.

“Predictably and recognizing the flaws in challenging their illegal firing of Governor Cook, the administration is scrambling to

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