Trump loyalist Ed Martin is leaving the Justice Department to focus on election ‘legal battles’

Former White House ally Ed Martin, who served multiple Justice Department roles under President Donald Trump, is departing the administration, Trump announced on social media. Martin, currently the Justice Department’s pardon attorney, will now devote his efforts to "legal battles" surrounding this year’s midterm elections and the 2028 presidential election.

In a statement, Trump expressed confidence in Martin’s ability to ensure free, fair, and honest elections, emphasizing his commitment to advancing constitutional rights.

Martin’s tenure has been marked by controversy since his appointment last year as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. He oversaw the dismissal of January 6 cases following Trump’s pardons, leading to bipartisan concerns about his prosecutorial experience and support for rioters. Trump ultimately withdrew Martin’s nomination for the position due to these issues.

From his role as pardon attorney, Martin also assumed the position of director for a group monitoring actions by the Biden administration that Republicans claim unfairly targeted conservatives. He was even given a special attorney role to aid in mortgage fraud investigations into Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

In a particularly contentious move, Martin sent President Biden’s nominee for the 2020 election, James, a letter urging her to resign, calling for "good faith" as part of his mortgage fraud probe.

Tragically, the Justice Department’s case against James ultimately fell apart when it was revealed that the prosecutor handling her case was illegally appointed.