President Donald Trump’s longtime ally, who was helping lead the charge against the president’s perceived political foes, will reportedly be leaving the Justice Department.
Ed Martin will depart in the coming weeks, according to CNN, which reported his exit is the result of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche making moves.
Martin was first appointed to serve as the interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. last January, but he did not have the necessary support in the Senate to be confirmed to the position permanently.
Since May, the 2020 election denier has been working in the Justice Department in a series of roles, including as a pardons attorney and the director of the Weaponization Working Group, which was established by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
But as of Monday, Martin had reportedly been stripped of his leadership role on the task force that had been looking into the investigations by former Special Counsel Jack Smith as well as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
“President Trump appointed Ed Martin as Pardon Attorney and Ed continues to [do] a great job in that role,” a Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement.
As a pardon attorney, Martin would be working out of another Justice Department office building, which houses the Office of the Pardon Attorney, rather than the Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C.
A person familiar with the efforts of the Weaponization Working Group blasted Martin to CNN, saying he was given all the opportunity to deliver on its mission but failed.
“Others across the Department have since been making great progress and doing the work that should have been happening under Ed’s leadership,” the person said.
The Justice Department has taken aim at a number of Trump’s perceived foes since the president returned to office, but much of the effort so far has come up short.
In November, a judge dismissed charges against former FBI Director James Comey and James. The mortgage fraud investigation into Democratic Senator Adam Schiff is also facing scrutiny.
On Monday, CNN also reported that the Weaponization Working Group was expected to begin meeting every day in an effort to deliver on the president’s priorities.
It comes as Bondi has been under fire from the MAGA base for the botched cases brought against Trump’s foes. Trump’s supporters have also blasted her for failing to bring further charges against other perceived enemies of the president.
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