President Donald Trump said Thursday he would pull Ed Martin’s nomination to be U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia and would soon announce a replacement for the embattled pick.
The shift comes after a monthslong fight in the Senate to confirm Martin, who currently serves in the role on a temporary basis. Earlier this week, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., a key vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he would oppose Martin’s confirmation to the post.
At the committee, Martin faced hundreds of written questions from senators about his past advocacy for participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and late disclosures of appearances on outlets aligned with the Russian government. Throughout the confirmation process, Democrats called Martin unqualified and requested a hearing on his nomination, which is rare for a U.S. attorney pick.
