DOJ Removes Ed Martin as Leader of ‘Weaponization’ Group (1)

The Justice Department has removed Ed Martin as the head of its group combating “weaponization” of government, according to a person familiar with the matter, diminishing the role for a prominent advocate of investigating President Donald Trump’s perceived enemies.

Martin remains DOJ’s pardon attorney, according to a department spokesperson. The pardon attorney job is housed at a satellite DOJ office building, whereas the weaponization head role placed him closer to top leaders at department headquarters.

Attorney General Pam Bondi and other DOJ leaders are seeking to reinvigorate the “weaponization” group heading into the weeks and months ahead, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing personnel moves.

CNN reported earlier that Martin is expected to leave the Justice Department in coming weeks. Martin couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.

Bondi issued a directive last February creating the weaponization group in response to an executive order from Trump the day he took office seeking to end what he called “the weaponization of the federal government.”

“It is the policy of the United States to identify and take appropriate action to correct past misconduct by the Federal Government related to the weaponization of law enforcement and the weaponization of the Intelligence Community,” Trump’s order said.

As weaponization chief, Martin had pressed for action against Trump’s perceived adversaries, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat. Martin-involved cases have faced setbacks. An indictment against James for alleged mortgage fraud was dismissed after a federal judge ruled that the Trump-installed US attorney Trump who brought the case wasn’t lawfully appointed.

Martin had no prior prosecutorial experience before being tapped as interim US attorney for DC. His nomination for that chief prosecutor role failed in the Senate, leading to his move to DOJ headquarters as weaponization group director and pardon attorney.

“President Trump appointed Ed Martin as Pardon Attorney and Ed continues to a great job in that role,” a DOJ spokesperson said in a statement.