President Donald Trump appointed Ed Martin to a new role at the Justice Department after it became clear the Senate wouldn’t confirm him as U.S. Attorney for D.C. Martin will now lead the newly formed Weaponization Working Group and serve as U.S. Pardon Attorney.
Trump praised Martin’s work and said he would pursue justice for victims of government overreach under the Biden administration. Trump also named former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. Attorney for D.C., calling her one of New York’s top prosecutors.
Martin’s nomination was blocked after GOP Senator Thom Tillis and others expressed concern over his comments about January 6 prosecutions. Tillis said Martin showed sympathy for those he believed were overcharged, which clashed with the senator’s zero-tolerance stance on the Capitol riot.
