As D.C. U.S. attorney nomination falters, Ed Martin's past feeds doubts

Recurring accusations of abuse of power stalled Trump’s D.C. U.S. attorney pick, who has supported Jan. 6 rioters who assaulted police.

President Donald Trump’s pick for top federal prosecutor in D.C., Ed Martin, has a history of picking fights in public life, attacking political enemies and allies he disagreed with, judges he secretly opposed and subordinates he wrongly fired, a Washington Post examination of his record over two decades shows.

Martin’s nomination is now faltering in the Senate. But the same headlong style that fed controversies over his 15 weeks as interim U.S. attorney has over the years both fueled his rise through conservative politics and burned him repeatedly, costing him jobs, tens of thousands of dollars in fines and court contempt citations.

A Republican lawyer, activist and candidate for multiple offices since 2005, Martin rose to high-level posts at the St. Louis election board, Missouri governor’s office and the nonprofit group founded by anti-feminist icon Phyllis Schlafly. He also racked up $2 million in legal fees and settlement payments at taxpayers’ expense in a scandal that exposed his efforts to push the Missouri Supreme Court to the right.

Now, Democratic critics say they see a pattern in what they call Martin’s repeated abuse of his powers in office to threaten political opponents, and his indifference to the law, legal ethics and the rules of court. They say that in the past and the present, Martin has improperly “weaponized” his office to go after perceived adversaries, regardless of court orders or legal advice, raising questions over his judgment and respect for the law when it conflicts with his political goals.

https://wapo.st/3EZkG8U