23 State Attorneys General Urge Swift Confirmation of Ed Martin as D.C. U.S. Attorney
Twenty-three state attorneys general have issued a strong call for the Senate to promptly confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee, Ed Martin, as the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. In a letter sent to Senate leaders on Monday, the attorneys general emphasized the urgency of the situation, citing a looming May 20 deadline. If Martin is not confirmed by this date, judges on the federal district court, potentially led by Judge James Boasberg, whom they characterize as a "Trump-antagonist," could select a temporary replacement.
The letter, first obtained by Fox News Digital, was addressed to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley. It paints a dire picture of the state of affairs in the District of Columbia, asserting that the city is "broken" and attributing the problems to "alleged corruption, mismanagement, and derelictions of duty" within the U.S. Attorney’s Office under President Biden’s appointees. The attorneys general argue that Martin is the right person to restore order and replace what they describe as "the rule of lawfare with the rule of law."
According to the letter, Martin’s interim appointment as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia began on Inauguration Day. Department of Justice documents indicate that if an interim U.S. attorney is not confirmed by the Senate within 120 days, judges on the federal district court for that district can appoint a new interim U.S. attorney until a nominee is confirmed. Judge James Boasberg, an Obama appointee who has previously been involved in legal efforts targeting Trump’s deportation policies, currently serves as the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Trump has expressed strong criticism of the D.C. District Court, claiming it would be "virtually impossible" for him to receive an "honest ruling" after Boasberg blocked his Venezuelan deportation flights in March. He has also taken to social media to denounce the courts as "broken," specifically highlighting New York and D.C. as being rife with "Corruption and Radicalism."
Indiana Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita spearheaded the letter, stating that Martin has demonstrated his leadership capabilities during his interim service. Rokita praised Martin for "restoring the rule of law" in the nation’s capital and claimed that his actions have already had a significant impact, causing a "full-blown meltdown" among the D.C. news media. He urged the Senate to act swiftly to confirm Martin and ensure his work continues without interruption.
The letter further argued that the Senate should be able to easily examine Martin’s performance during his time in the role. The attorneys general stated that the Senate does not need to speculate about Martin’s ability to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office with "honor and skill," and asserted that he has shown a "fearless commitment to do what is right on behalf of the American people." They also claimed that there are few offices in the American justice system that need a leader like Martin as much as the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The 23 states that joined the letter include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.
However, Martin’s confirmation process has encountered obstacles. Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has raised concerns about the nomination. During a May 1 executive business meeting, Durbin stated that responses received from Martin to questions raised "even more questions," and alleged that Martin made "false statements and contradictory statements" that are easily disproven by his own disclosures.
The attorneys general have also raised concerns about rising crime rates in the nation’s capital under the Biden administration, which they attribute to failures in the justice system. They claim that under President Biden, public safety and the quality of life have deteriorated in the District of Columbia. They specifically pointed to a 35% increase in homicides, a 67% increase in robberies, and an 82% increase in car thefts in 2023 alone. They further alleged that Matthew Graves, President Biden’s appointee as chief federal prosecutor, declined to prosecute over two-thirds of all criminal cases brought to his office, leading to the implementation of "lax-on-crime policies" similar to those that have affected other major American cities.
Since assuming the position, Martin has overseen the dismissals of several Jan. 6 cases after Trump granted pardons and commutations to the defendants. Martin also issued a letter vowing to hold accountable those who attempt to sabotage the efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to combat government overspending and corruption.
In the letter to Elon Musk, Martin expressed concern about DOGE staff being publicly targeted and offered his assistance in protecting their work and their workers. He stated that his office would pursue legal action against anyone who impedes their work or threatens their people, and promised that his office would not "look the other way" as the "Antifa and BLM rioters as well as thugs with guns trashed our capital city."
The state attorneys general argued that Martin has accomplished more in his brief tenure as interim leader to reduce crime than his predecessor did under the Biden administration. They claim that Martin has prosecuted and seized the assets of pro-Hamas protestors who defaced monuments and assaulted police, pursued and indicted Chinese-backed hackers who threatened national security, prosecuted and disrupted the operations of gangs of illegal aliens, and rooted out and brought to justice corrupt civil servants who stole taxpayer money.
