Fed vice chair for supervision Bowman attended an invite-only BofA client dinner
in New York on Wednesday night, several hours after the Fed released its latest
policy decision. The event occurred during the Fed’s communication blackout,
which bars officials from commenting publicly on the economy or monetary policy
for several days around meetings and runs through the day after the meeting
(Thursday). Fed guidance does not explicitly prohibit closed‑door meetings but
requires officials to avoid sharing personal policy views with parties that
could profit or to confer reputational advantages on a firm; policymakers should
be cautious about meetings with those who could benefit from exclusive access or
accepting invitations from for‑profit, non‑public events. It is unclear whether
Bowman’s attendance violated Fed rules.
