WASHINGTON (AP) ā President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would pull his nomination of Ed Martin Jr. to be the top federal prosecutor for the nationās capital, bowing to bipartisan concerns about the conservative activist's modest legal experience and divisive politics.
Trump abandoned his pick to lead the nation's largest U.S. Attorney's office two days after a said he could not support Martin for the job due to his defense of rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
āHe's a terrific person, and he wasn't getting the support from people that I thought,ā Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about the status of Martinās confirmation. He later added: āBut we have somebody else that will be great,ā indicating the announcement will be made in the next two days.
Trump said he still wants to bring Martin into the administration, whether at the Justice Department or elsewhere, and signaled that he had little capacity to call on-the-fence senators to lobby them: āI can only lift that little phone so many times in a day.ā
Within minutes of Trump's announcement, Martin jokingly posted a of himself on social media dressed in papal garments with the words, āPlot twistā ā alluding to the breaking news that a to lead the Catholic Church.
A spokesperson for Martin didnāt immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
Martin has served as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia since Trumpās first week in office. But his hopes of keeping the job faded amid questions about his qualifications and background, including his support for Jan. 6 rioters.
Martin has stirred up a chorus of critics during his brief but tumultuous tenure in office. He subordinates who worked on politically sensitive cases. He posted on social media about potential targets of investigations. And he forced the chief of the officeās to resign after directing her to scrutinize the awarding of a government contract during Democratic President Joe Bidenās administration.
Martinās temporary appointment is due to expire on May 20.
North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said Tuesday that he wouldnāt support Martinās nomination. Tillis, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said his opposition stemmed from Martinās defense of rioters who breached the Capitol on . Other Republicans seemed likely to oppose Martinās nomination as well.
In response to a committee questionnaire, Martin initially failed to disclose that he made over 150 appearances on the Russian government-funded RT and Sputnik networks before he took office. He later included them in a follow-up letter.
Dozens of former prosecutors from the office publicly opposed Martinās nomination. In a letter to the committee, more than 100 office veterans described him as āan affront to the singular pursuit of justice for which this Office has stood for more than two centuries.ā
Martin also had some prominent supporters, including , and His backers touted his record of fighting for conservative causes and his efforts to reduce violent crime in Washington.
Martin was a leading figure in Trumpās āStop the Stealā movement. He spoke at a rally in Washington on the eve of the Capitol riot. He represented three Jan. 6 defendants and served on the board of the nonprofit Patriot Freedom Project, which raising over $2.5 million to support riot defendants.
In office, Martin oversaw the dismissals of after , commuted sentences or vowed to throw them out. Martin also ordered an internal review of prosecutorsā use of a felony charge against hundreds of Capitol rioters, directing employees to hand over files, emails and other documents.
Martinās opponents also homed in on his public praise for a Capitol riot defendant, , who openly espoused white supremacist and antisemitic ideology and photographed himself sporting a Hitler mustache. He referred to Hale-Cusanelli as a friend who is āan extraordinary guy.ā
Martin told committee members that he condemns Hale-Cusanelliās hateful comments as āabhorrent and deplorable.ā He claimed he didnāt learn about them until after he presented him with the award during an event at Trumpās golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Martin practiced law in Missouri but never worked as a prosecutor or tried a case before Trump appointed him in January. Martin chaired the Missouri Republican Party before becoming president of conservative activist Phyllis Schlaflyās Eagle Forum in April 2013. He co-authored a book about Trump with Schlafly, who died in 2016.
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Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed reporting.
Seung Min Kim And Michael Kunzelman, The Associated Press
