Trump yanks key nomination for prosecutor who called Nazi sympathizer ‘extraordinary’
But president says Ed Martin Jr., who defended Jan. 6 rioters, will serve as associate deputy attorney general to probe ‘weaponization of government’ by Biden administration
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he had pulled his nomination of Ed Martin Jr. to be the top federal prosecutor for the nation’s capital, bowing to bipartisan concerns about the conservative activist’s modest legal experience, divisive politics and support for January 6 rioters.
Instead, the president said Martin will be tapped as an associate deputy attorney general and pardon attorney, putting him in the position of recommending pardons for a slew of defendants involved in the violent insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Trump has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to replace Martin as interim US attorney for DC.
When he returned to office in January, Trump granted sweeping pardons and commutations to all people charged with crimes in connection with the riot, or vowed to dismiss their cases.
In the role, Martin will “make sure we finally investigate the Weaponization of our Government under the Biden Regime, and provide much needed Justice for its victims,” Trump, who has frequently referred to the January 6 rioters as victims of political persecution and as “hostages,” wrote on his social network Truth Social.
At the White House on Thursday, Trump praised Martin as “a terrific person” but acknowledged that “he wasn’t getting the support.” He added, “I have to be straight. I was disappointed.”
Martin recently apologized for his past vocal praise of Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, who was sentenced to four years in prison for his role on January 6 before being pardoned by Trump along with virtually all other January 6 defendants.
A Navy contractor and ex-Army reservist, Hale-Cusanelli at one time sported a Hitler-like mustache and joked online about killing and eating Jews.
As part of Martin’s advocacy for January 6 defendants, he presented Hale-Cusanelli with an “Eagle Award” during an event held at a Trump golf club last year, where he also called the rioter “extraordinary.” He also interviewed him multiple times on his own podcast.
Martin claimed that, at the time, he had not been aware of the extent of Hale-Cusanelli’s views, which he now called “abhorrent and deplorable.” But reviews of Martin’s media output revealed that he had, in fact, asked Hale-Cusanelli about court reports that he’d shown up to work at a naval weapons station, saying, “Hitler should have finished the job,” along with multiple other podcast interviews and interactions.
Eleven mostly liberal and progressive American Jewish groups, including the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the National Council of Jewish Women, called for a public confirmation hearing for Martin in order to better question him on his ties to antisemites. Democrats, including Sen. Dick Durbin, also cited Martin’s connection to Hale-Cusanilli from the Senate floor in efforts to tank his nomination.
Martin had been serving in the DC prosecutor post on an interim basis — one of the most significant and influential US prosecutor positions — while he waited for Senate confirmation. During that time he punished or demoted staff who had worked on January 6 prosecutions.
A conservative activist who had no experience as a judge or federal prosecutor prior to his appointment, Martin also has a history of orchestrating political attacks on federal judges.
He proved his Trump bona fides by organizing “Stop the Steal” rallies challenging the results of the 2020 election Trump lost. He has also compared former president Joe Biden to Adolf Hitler and, once assuming his interim post, referred to himself and federal prosecutors as “the president’s lawyers.”
Tillis, in a rare GOP break with Trump, said he would oppose Martin’s nomination in the Senate Judiciary Committee, emphasizing that he objected to Martin’s backing of individuals involved in January 6. His “no” vote would deadlock the committee’s recommendation and was seen as a precursor for other “no” votes from more moderate Republican senators if it advanced to the full floor.
The Times of Israel Community.