Ed Martin's nomination to serve as the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia faces mounting uncertainty as a key Republican senator has announced opposition, placing the confirmation process in peril ahead of a looming deadline.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, stated Tuesday he would not support the nomination of Ed Martin. This stance delivers a potentially fatal blow to Martin’s prospects for Senate confirmation. Tillis has indicated his decision to the White House.
Tillis cited Martin’s public statements and support for certain criminal defendants charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol protest. These cases were prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C. before President Donald Trump issued pardons to defendants in January.
Tillis acknowledged meeting with Ed Martin but maintained his opposition was specific to the D.C. district. "If Mr. Martin were being put forth as a US Attorney for any district except the district where January 6 happened, the protest happened, I'd probably support him, but not in this district," Tillis said to reporters.
The lack of support from a Republican on the Judiciary Committee means Ed Martin could face a tie vote, which prevents a nomination from advancing. The committee has not yet scheduled a vote on the nomination.
President Trump has been actively lobbying Republican senators to support Ed Martin. Trump posted a statement on Truth Social advocating for Martin’s confirmation and linking him to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the goal to "Make America Healthy Again."
Beyond the political maneuvering, Ed Martin's nomination has drawn scrutiny for other reasons. He has a history of representing clients involved in the Jan. 6 events and has faced questions regarding past associations. Additionally, Martin has repeatedly supplemented his disclosure forms to the committee, inadvertently omitting links to numerous media appearances, including on Sputnik Radio, Russia Today, and Alex Jones' Infowars outlet.
A deadline of May 20 approaches for the Senate to act on the nomination. If the Senate fails to confirm a candidate by this date, a left-leaning court in the District of Columbia could appoint an interim U.S. attorney. Several state attorneys general have urged the Senate to confirm Trump’s pick to avoid this outcome.