Given the astonishing collection of clearly unqualified presidential appointees who have been seated this year — an anti-vaccination kook as Health secretary, a Fox News wingnut as Defense secretary, a fake-wrestling promoter as Education secretary, the sorry list goes on — it’s fair to ask if any staffing decision from President Donald Trump could be so noxious that this spineless Senate wouldn’t meekly acquiesce.
In that sense, Missouri’s own Ed Martin has achieved something rare indeed: He was such a malignant choice to be the top federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., that key Republican senators balked at giving their stamp of approval.
Trump reacted on Thursday by announcing he was withdrawing Martin’s nomination.
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That’s a truly beneficial development for the nation. As we have reminded readers repeatedly lately, Martin’s toxic history in Missouri politics alone should have disqualified him from permanent confirmation to the post he’s been filling on an interim basis since January.
That history includes a 2007 scandal when he was chief of staff for then-Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt involving Sunshine Law violations and a politically motivated firing. It included his chaotic turn as Missouri GOP chairman, during which he deeply divided the party by attacking fellow Republicans on behalf of tea party activism. It even included sparking internecine warfare within Phyllis Schlafly’s organization after he convinced the elderly conservative icon to embrace the MAGA movement over the objections of her lieutenants.
It should come as no surprise that, as the interim U.S. attorney for D.C., Martin has continued abusing his power for the sake of malicious right-wing politics.
He has fired dozens of federal prosecutors for working on cases against the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He has threatened to investigate members of Congress for criticizing Trump. He has threatened the free press for doing its job. He has declared that his staff attorneys are “President Trump’s lawyers†— never mind that they’re supposed to be working for the American people.
The bridge too far for Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, was Martin’s past support for about 400 Jan. 6 rioters who had been charged with assaulting police officers.
It takes some interesting philosophical contortions to declare that to be disqualifying for Martin while continuing to support the president who pardoned those same violent thugs, but whatever. Tillis’ stance, and hesitation from a few other key Republicans, has ended Martin’s chance of being permanently seated to this powerful post. Thank goodness.
