WASHINGTON — Most of President Donald Trump’s prime nominees have sailed by the Senate with little resistance. His decide to be the highest federal prosecutor for the nation’s capital could possibly be an exception.
Ed Martin Jr., a conservative activist with modest authorized expertise who has defended rioters who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, is testing Republican celebration loyalties as a deadline approaches for the Senate to determine whether or not to increase or finish his temporary however tumultuous tenure as chief of the nation’s largest U.S. Legal professional’s workplace.
Martin’s nomination faces vocal opposition from lots of of veterans of the workplace that he’s main on an interim foundation. Democrats are attempting to tie up his affirmation vote. And Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee have stated they want extra time to assessment his document.
There have been indicators of bother at a Judiciary assembly on Thursday as Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the highest Democrat on the panel, stated it was his understanding that committee chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, was going to announce “that we aren’t going to maneuver ahead on the Martin nomination.”
Grassley demurred, saying he would wait to speak about Martin till the committee scheduled a vote. However he stated he was nonetheless going by lots of of questions that the committee had posed to Martin, including that a few of his employees “had extra questions” and needed to fulfill with him in particular person.
It was hardly a ringing endorsement of Martin, who hasn’t spent a lot time in courtrooms however has been a loyal loyalist to Trump.
Inside days of taking workplace in January, Martin fired or demoted veteran attorneys who prosecuted Trump supporters for storming the U.S. Capitol. Earlier than his appointment, he represented and helped increase cash for Capitol riot defendants. He continuously appeared on Russian state media to parrot Trump speaking factors. He even printed coloring books glorifying Trump’s tweets.
Martin hasn’t responded to a number of Related Press interview requests since he took workplace in January, together with this week.
Martin just lately told NBC Washington that he’s assured that Trump made the “proper resolution” in nominating him. He has touted his workplace’s work tackling violent crime. And he has informed lawmakers that his opinions gained’t affect his workplace choices.
“We’ve got to maintain the streets protected AND battle for America on the world stage. Superb work and I’m blessed to serve Donald Trump on this approach,” Martin wrote in a Substack post.
Any vote on Martin’s nomination is certain to be break up alongside celebration strains. However first, Democrats are calling for a uncommon listening to the place they’ll grill him.
The Judiciary panel historically doesn’t maintain affirmation hearings for U.S. attorneys, counting on questionnaires as an alternative.
Even when the committee have been to approve Martin’s nomination, it could face obstacles on the Senate flooring. California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff positioned a maintain on the nomination, which means Republicans must spend a number of days of flooring time to verify him. U.S. attorneys are usually authorised in teams by a fast voice vote.
Schiff final month stated Martin “has persistently undermined the independence and abused the ability of the U.S. Legal professional’s workplace in D.C.” since taking workplace.
Martin has touted endorsements from main conservative figures, together with Elon Musk, Charlie Kirk and Donald Trump Jr. Republican lawmakers, together with Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, even have expressed help.
Paul in a put up on X stated he is assured Martin will “work to scrub up DC and battle towards the left’s lawless judicial tyranny. Proud to help him as U.S. Legal professional!”
His supporters have stated his document combating conservative causes makes him the suitable particular person to steer the workplace that critics have claimed unfairly handled Jan. 6 defendants and will have been extra targeted on bringing down avenue crime. Weeks into the job, he introduced a “Make D.C. Protected Once more” initiative to carry extra gun circumstances in federal court docket, the place penalties are stiffer.
However a least one Republican member of the committee seems to have reservations. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who has expressed some considerations about Martin’s Jan. 6 feedback, stated Thursday that he’ll meet with Martin subsequent week.
Trump appointed Martin the identical week in January that he issued mass pardons to supporters who attacked the U.S. Capitol 4 years in the past. It was a morale-destroying selection for prosecutors who spent 4 years constructing circumstances towards over 1,500 riot defendants, the most important investigation in Justice Division historical past.
Martin was a number one determine in Trump’s “Cease the Steal” motion. He spoke at a rally in Washington on the eve of the riot. He additionally represented three Jan. 6 defendants, which he ranked among the many prime 10 circumstances of his authorized profession on his committee questionnaire.
Former federal prosecutor Michael Romano, who was detailed to assist supervise Jan. 6 prosecutions, returned to his residence workplace within the Justice Division earlier than Martin arrived. And but Martin tried to demote Romano to an entry-level place together with different senior prosecutors who labored on Capitol riot circumstances.
“He appeared to not understand that I didn’t work for him,” stated Romano, who just lately joined a non-public regulation agency. “It was a second that made my eyes roll.”
Martin served on the board of the nonprofit Patriot Freedom Challenge, which reports elevating over $2.5 million to help Jan. 6 defendants. Final yr, he introduced an award to a Capitol riot defendant, Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, who overtly espoused white supremacist and antisemitic ideology and photographed himself sporting a Hitler mustache. He referred to Hale-Cusanelli as a buddy who’s “a unprecedented man.”
Martin informed committee members that he condemns Hale-Cusanelli’s hateful feedback as “abhorrent and deplorable.” He claimed he did not study them till after he introduced him with the award throughout an occasion at Trump’s golf membership in Bedminster, New Jersey.
However Martin alluded to the controversy when he interviewed Hale-Cusanelli earlier than the awards ceremony. Martin accused prosecutors of leaking pictures of Hale-Cusanelli sporting the Hitler mustache to taint the jury pool.
“Not your finest second, however not unlawful,” Martin said.
Critics have accused Martin of abusing his workplace — and his account on Musk’s X platform — to intimidate potential targets of investigations.
At the least three medical journals received letters from Martin asking about “competing viewpoints.” One other letter that he despatched on workplace stationery accused Wikipedia of “permitting overseas actors to govern data and unfold propaganda to the American public.”
Martin had a behavior of getting ensnared in political controversies — and litigation — throughout his earlier forays into public service. Practically 20 years in the past, he was chief of employees for then-Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt when he was sued by a former staff attorney who claimed he was fired in retaliation for complaining that the administration was destroying e-mails illegally.
Martin was chairman of the Missouri Republican Occasion earlier than changing into president of conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly’s Eagle Discussion board in April 2013. He co-authored a ebook about Trump with Schlafly, who died in 2016.
Martin has referred to himself as one of many president’s attorneys. His critics have name him unqualified and unfit for the job.
“Ed Martin has much less expertise than a misdemeanor assistant does after per week in fundamental coaching. That’s not an exaggeration,” stated Kevin Flynn, who labored as a prosecutor underneath roughly a dozen U.S. attorneys in Washington earlier than leaving the workplace in 2023. “And he’s not precisely studying on the job, both.”
