Trump drops Martin, following heat from Tillis

President Donald Trump has withdrawn Ed Martin as his nominee for US Attorney. This follows recent criticism from US Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, who cited concerns about Martin’s public defense of those charged after Jan 6. Martin has served as interim US attorney since the inauguration, but was fast approaching the May 20 confirmation deadline.  Since taking office Martin led a crackdown on lawyers that prosecuted Jan 6 cases.

On Tuesday, Tillis told reporters he had met Mr. Martin and that “he seems like a good man.” Still, Tillis told reporters that he had zero tolerance for anyone who entered the building on that day, “and that’s probably where most of the friction was,” citing his disagreements with Martin. Tillis believes that anyone who breached the perimeter should have been imprisoned “whether it’s 30 days or three years is debatable.”

Tillis remarked that Martin did a good job explaining that some people were likely caught up in it, but they decided to come through a breached building that police officers told them to stay away from. 

“So the difference wasn’t that they should be charged in my estimation,” said Tillis, “It’s by how much; that’s an argument I’m willing to have. But we have to be very, very clear that what happened on January 6th was wrong; it was not prompted or created by other people to put those people in trouble. They made a stupid decision, and they disgraced the United States by absolutely destroying the Capitol.”

Tillis credited Martin for his explanation, saying he was probably right that some were over-prosecuted. But Tillis and Martin agreed that there were probably 200-300 who should have never gotten a pardon. 

He noted that if Martin were being put forward as US attorney in any district other than the district where Jan 6 took place, he would probably support him. 

During a Wednesday press conference in the Oval Office, Trump was asked for a response to Tillis’ objections to Martin. 

“It’s disappointing, because I know Ed; he’s very talented,” Trump told reporters from the Oval Office on Wednesday. “People have noticed a big difference.” 

Trump told reporters he wasn’t aware of Tillis’ objections to Martin.

“If anybody voted against him, I feel very badly, only in the sense that in this short time that he has been here, crime is down 25% in Washington DC, but that’s really up to the senators,” said Trump. “They have to follow their heart, and they have to follow their mind.”

Kyshia Brassington, an RNC committeewoman for the NCGOP, sent a letter to Tillis on Wednesday urging his support of Martin.

Trump told reporters Thursday that the White House plans to announce a new nominee over the next two days, and hinted that Martin could be brought on board for a position in the US Department of Justice, according to news reports.