Ed Martin is leaving his position as the Justice Department’s pardon attorney to pursue legal matters connected to this year’s midterm elections and the 2028 presidential election, President Trump announced on Friday. Trump characterized Martin as someone who would “ensure Free, Fair, and Honest Elections, and strongly advance our Constitutional Rights.” Attorney General Todd Blanche described Martin as a “patriot who loves this nation.”
Martin’s tenure in the Trump administration has been marked by controversy. He initially served as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia following Trump’s sweeping pardons, a role in which he oversaw the dismissal of cases related to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. However, Trump later withdrew Martin’s nomination for the position over bipartisan concerns about his lack of prosecutorial background and his previous support for Capitol riot participants. Critics noted that his tactics sometimes created friction with Justice Department leadership, including a letter he sent urging New York Attorney General Letitia James to resign during a mortgage fraud investigation into her conduct. That case was subsequently dismissed after a judge determined another prosecutor had been illegally appointed.
At Justice Department headquarters, Martin held roles as pardon attorney and director of a working group examining actions from the Biden administration that Republicans characterized as unfairly targeting conservatives. He was later sidelined amid disagreements with department leadership and removed from his working group position, though he retained his title as pardon attorney. Before his Justice Department roles, Martin was a prominent figure in Trump’s “Stop the Steal” movement and spoke at a Washington rally the day before the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Martin’s departure comes as the Trump administration has intensified focus on election matters ahead of the midterms. The administration has emphasized concerns about noncitizen voting, which Trump characterizes as a widespread source of fraud, and the Justice Department has sought detailed state voter data. The FBI has also obtained voting records or election equipment from counties in Arizona, Georgia, and Michigan. Democratic state officials have expressed concern about possible federal involvement in polling locations or election offices, though administration representatives have stated no such plans exist.
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