Janet Yellen was forced to fend¹ off new questions about the Federal Reserve’s independence yesterday sparked by donations from a Fed governor to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

美联储(Fed)主席珍妮特•耶伦(Janet Yellen)昨日被迫挡开有关美联储独立性的最新质疑，这件事的导火线是美联储一位理事向希拉里•克林顿(Hillary Clinton)的总统竞选活动捐款。

The Fed chair was challenged by Scott Garrett, a Republican congressman² from New Jersey³, over donations that Fed governor Lael Brainard has made to the Clinton campaign and over unconfirmed media reports that Ms Brainard was a contender for a senior job in a potential Clinton administration.

来自新泽西州的共和党众议员斯科特•加勒特(Scott Garrett)向耶伦发起挑战，焦点是美联储理事莱尔•布雷纳德(Lael Brainard)向希拉里竞选活动捐款，还有一些未经证实的报道称，布雷纳德是潜在的希拉里政府一个高级职位的候选人。

The exchanges came two days after Donald Trump⁴, the Republican presidential candidate, claimed in his debate with Mrs Clinton that the Fed has been keeping short-term interest rates low to help the Obama administration and was sustaining a big, fat, ugly bubble in the stock market.

这一交锋的两天前，共和党总统候选人唐纳德•特朗普(Donald Trump)在与希拉里辩论期间声称，美联储将短期利率维持在低位是为了帮助奥巴马政府，并维持股市巨大、肥厚、肮脏的泡沫。

Ms Yellen has denied the Fed was doing anything to suit the White House’s political objectives.

耶伦否认美联储做了迎合白宫政治目标的任何事情。

Some analysts⁵ argue the Fed is vulnerable at a time of intense pressure from both sides of the partisan⁶ divide, however, with some lawmakers seeking to impose tighter legislative⁷ constraints⁸ on its policy freedoms.

一些分析师辩称，面对尖锐对立的两党双方的巨大压力，美联储地位脆弱，一些立法者希望对美联储的政策自由加大立法限制。

Mrs Yellen was testifying on regulatory matters to the House Committee on Financial Services. Mr Garrett asked: A Fed governor can be in direct negotiations⁹ with a political campaign looking for a future job and that is not a conflict as far as you’re concerned?

耶伦在就监管问题在众议院金融服务委员会(House Committee on Financial Services)作证时，加勒特问道：一位美联储理事可以同一个政治竞选阵营直接商谈，谋求一个未来的职位，难道这对您来说不是利益冲突吗？

His words referred to Ms Brainard, a former Treasury¹⁰ official who is often listed in media reports as a potential candidate to be Treasury secretary in a Clinton administration.

他的话指的是美国财政部前官员布雷纳德，媒体报道经常把她列为希拉里当选后美国财政部部长的潜在候选人。

Ms Yellen said: I would have to consult my counsel.

耶伦表示：我得咨询我的法律顾问。

I’m not aware that that’s a conflict, but I would . . . Then she was cut off by the committee chair.

我不了解这是否属于利益冲突，但我会……接着她被委员会主席打断。

Earlier, Ms Yellen said she had absolutely no awareness¹¹ of Ms Brainard being in touch with the Clinton camp about a job.

早些时候，耶伦表示，她对于布雷纳德就一项职位与希拉里竞选阵营联系一事完全不知情。

Pressed on $2,700 in donations that Ms Brainard has made to Mrs Clinton’s campaign, the maximum permitted for individual contributions in an election cycle, Ms Yellen noted¹² that the Hatch Act does not prohibit political contributions by Fed governors.

在被问及布雷纳德向希拉里竞选组织捐赠2700美元（这是个人在选举周期中可以捐出的最高款项）的问题时，耶伦指出，《哈奇法》(Hatch Act)没有禁止美联储理事做出政治捐赠。