A Justice Department review found that Ed Martin improperly dealt with grand jury supplies that had been half of an investigation concentrating on Donald Trump’s political enemies, not less than two sources accustomed to the review informed NCS. It was not less than half of the explanation Martin was pushed out of DOJ headquarters early this 12 months.
The review, which was overseen by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s workplace, targeted on whether or not grand jury material gathered in the division’s mortgage fraud inquiries into Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff and New York Attorney General Letitia James had been illegally shared with folks not approved to own that data, a number of folks briefed on the matter informed NCS.
The division found that Martin had shared the key grand jury material in the Schiff case, one of the sources stated. The particular person stated Martin initially denied sharing the material with unauthorized folks when requested by division leaders, however emails quickly surfaced exhibiting that Martin had in reality shared the grand jury material.
A second particular person informed NCS a discovering of misconduct gave the deputy legal professional common a cause to additional ostracize Martin. Martin was eliminated as the pinnacle of the so-called Weaponization Working Group on the primary day of 2026 and he was relocated out of division headquarters to a constructing throughout city that homes the pardon legal professional — Martin’s one remaining position.
“President Trump ordered Ed Martin to fight weaponization wherever it’s found,” an individual near Martin stated. “As a member of the Deputy Attorney General’s staff, Ed handled hundreds of cases and matters directed by the DAG. Ed, his co-chair Colin McDonald, and the members of the Weaponization Working Group followed DOJ standards and procedures at all times.”
Martin is anticipated to depart the division in coming weeks.
He has not been charged with a criminal offense, and the Justice Department hasn’t decided whether or not any legislation was damaged.
In an announcement to NCS, Blanche stated, “there are no misconduct investigations into Ed Martin. Ed is doing a great job as Pardon Attorney.”
The assertion didn’t tackle whether or not there was ever a review of Martin’s dealing with of grand jury material.
Martin has been a foremost figurehead in the president’s marketing campaign to research or prosecute his political foes, together with the investigation into Schiff and the prosecutions of former FBI Director James Comey and James. A choose dismissed the Comey and James prosecutions in November, discovering that the prosecutor who introduced the costs was unlawfully appointed.
In January 2025, Trump appointed Martin because the interim US legal professional for Washington, DC. He instantly began engaged on Trump’s agenda, together with demoting and pushing out senior prosecutors who labored on instances associated to January 6 and vowing to guard staff of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He in the end didn’t obtain sufficient help from the Senate, and Trump pulled his nomination for the place in May 2025.
The review of Martin’s dealing with of supplies burst into public view in December after a witness who obtained a subpoena confirmed up on the courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, in search of to testify.
The witness, a Republican lady from California named Christine Bish, informed NCS that investigators requested her about two individuals who claimed to be engaged on fraud instances alongside Martin and Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte. The Justice Department was investigating whether or not these two folks had been impersonating federal brokers.
Days later, a social media person highlighted that ongoing probe and referenced Pulte and Martin being underneath investigation. Attorney General Pam Bondi responded by seemingly attempting to appropriate the document, with out elaborating. “There is no investigation into Bill Pulte” she wrote on X.
Martin’s elimination from the pinnacle of the Weaponization Working Group has not hindered its work, an individual accustomed to the matter, and NCS reported that the group has ramped up its efforts to review legislation enforcement actions taken underneath the Biden administration for any examples of what Bondi has known as “politicized justice.”
The group plans to launch some of their findings quickly, the particular person stated.