WASHINGTON – President Trump decided to withdraw Ed Martin’s previous appointment and instead named him as the top federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C. This announcement came after Senate Republicans blocked Martin’s earlier elevation due to concerns related to the Capitol riots.
“He’s a great guy, just didn’t get the backing I expected,” Trump remarked about Martin.
“I mean, I could reach out multiple times a day, but there are other capable people too,” he continued.
With no U.S. attorneys confirmed, it seems that D.C. District Court Judge James Boasberg might step in to find a new candidate. This could affect the president’s inner circle, including Deputy White House Director Stephen Miller.
White House aides confirmed to sources that the president would nominate someone else, though they didn’t immediately disclose who. Reports suggested that ABC News had mentioned Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as a potential successor to Martin, especially since an interim U.S. attorney for D.C. hadn’t been confirmed.
Martin faced scrutiny from Trump’s political adversaries right after assuming his role and was keen on reshaping the approach to cases involving the Capitol riots. Trump also recently offered pardons to around 1,500 individuals, both violent and otherwise.
In a Thursday phone call, Martin expressed gratitude for his service, pointing out the successes he achieved in reducing crime in D.C. and addressing both local and international issues. “It’s always going to involve the Senate,” he noted, predicting a potential timeline of maybe 120 days or longer for a resolution.
“We’ve taken a significant number of guns off the streets. In the last two and a half months, we’ve seen an increase in those charged with gun offenses,” he claimed, referencing statistics from the prior year.
On the international front, Martin acknowledged mixed reactions regarding some of his actions, which included cryptocurrency seizures from Hamas and oil interventions from Iranian sources.
Sen. Tom Tillis (R-NC) expressed opposition to Martin’s appointment, stating that Martin seemed to show leniency towards the January 6 rioters, which created “friction” during discussions with Trump’s candidates.
Tillis remarked, “If Mr. Martin were appointed as a U.S. attorney for a different district where the January 6 incidents didn’t occur, the situation might have played out differently.”
The Senate Judiciary Committee was left in a deadlock at 11-11 due to a Republican vote from North Carolina.
“We had various agreements,” reflected Martin on his talks with Tillis. “There were points we didn’t see eye to eye, but that’s part of the process.”
Martin noted frustrations around the pardon discussions, believing he and Tillis didn’t effectively communicate after their initial conversation.
After Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) raised concerns about Martin, fellow senators also expressed widespread apprehensions.
Last month, Martin extended an apology regarding his past remarks aligning with a controversial figure from January 6, admitting that he hadn’t understood the implications of his past statements at the time.
“What I shared with Senator Tillis and others was that many individuals, some of whom were treated unfairly, received release due to a bipartisan Supreme Court decision,” he explained, referring to the cases against those involved in the riot.
“These people weren’t necessarily troublemakers with authority,” he noted, acknowledging that while they may not be ideal, their treatment was harsh.
Though Martin has never acted as a prosecutor, he has a background as a Republican attorney in Missouri and had previously served as chairman.
The president had previously voiced his support for Martin’s nomination and shared it on social media.
In subsequent discussions, Tillis advocated for former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton to take Martin’s place. Clayton, who has already served as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, had yet to gain traction with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Senate Democrats filed a complaint against Martin earlier, accusing him of prosecutorial misconduct related to his defense work surrounding the Capitol riots, which Martin dismissed as a “Schumer smear.”
He concluded, “I’m proud of what was accomplished in those 120 days. The vision to challenge governmental authorities and hold wrongdoers accountable is vital for justice.”
“We can’t see every aspect, but we must remember that no one is above the law.”
