President Donald Trump’s nominee to be U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia is at risk of not being confirmed, and in turn, being forced to step down. Ed Martin is currently acting U.S. attorney for D.C., a position he’s only allowed to hold for 120 days.
That means Martin needs Senate confirmation before May 20, or he’s out.
Despite a Republican majority in the chamber, Martin does not have enough support due to his history of providing legal representation to Jan. 6 Capitol rioters; calling a Nazi sympathizer “extraordinary;” and defending slavery by citing biblical Jews.
Martin has no previous prosecutorial experience.
Martin loses Sen. Thom Tillis’ support
In addition to being the defense attorney for some Jan. 6 rioters, Martin dismissed charges against others in his capacity as acting U.S. attorney. That was enough to lose a vote from Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over confirming these nominees.
“I think anybody that breached the perimeter should have been in prison for some period of time,” Tillis told reporters at the Capitol. “Whether it’s 30 days or three years is debatable. But I have no tolerance for anybody who entered the building on January the sixth, and that’s probably where most of the friction was.”
Tillis disagreed with Trump’s decision to pardon all those charged with crimes related to Jan. 6, including those who assaulted police officers. In total, about 1,500 people were pardoned.
While Tillis said some rioters probably got caught up in the frenzy and didn’t realize the gravity of what was happening, he added that there were 200 to 300 people who did not deserve mercy.
“They made a stupid decision, and they disgraced the United States by absolutely destroying the Capitol,” Tillis said.
The U.S. attorney for D.C. is in charge of enforcing federal law and acting as the local district attorney.
Does President Trump still support Martin?
Trump, on the other hand, expressed his support for Martin on social media.
“According to many but, in particular, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., his approval is IMPERATIVE in terms of doing all that has to be done to SAVE LIVES and to, MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Ed is coming up on the deadline for Voting and, if approved, HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.”
Despite the president’s support, Tillis informed the White House he will not support Martin’s nomination.
“If Mr. Martin were being put forth as a U.S. attorney for any district except the district where Jan. 6 happened, the protest happened, I’d probably support him, but not in this district,” Tillis said.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, pulled Martin’s nomination from consideration during an executive session scheduled for this week. Grassley told reporters he’s only going to list nominees he knows will succeed.
