Nearly 600 economists sign open letter in support of Fed's Tim Cook

After former US President Donald Trump attempted to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over allegations of mortgage fraud, prominent economists have expressed support for her. Nearly 600 economists signed an open letter in support of Cook, arguing that the bar for removing a Fed governor is extremely high and that elected officials should avoid actions or statements that could undermine the central bank's independence. The letter, released on Tuesday, was signed by Nobel laureates Claudia Goldin and Paul Romer. Also signing the letter were Christina Romer, former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under former US President Barack Obama, and Treyvon Logan, a professor at Ohio State University who co-authored a paper with Cook.