Talking Points Memo: It Appears Ed Martin ‘Doesn’t Have The Votes’ To Be Confirmed—At Least Not Right Now
By Nicole Lafond and Khaya Himmelman
President Trump’s nominee for D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin appears to be facing skepticism from the Senate Judiciary Committee, Republican members of which met this week to discuss the seemingly endless baggage and politically motivated acts that Martin has and will likely continue to mix into his work if officially confirmed to the position. Republicans on the panel also reportedly discussed whether to consider their Democratic colleagues’ requests to hold a hearing on Martin’s confirmation.
It appears a few Republican members have some hangups about the guy.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) is the only Republican thus far to publicly acknowledge Martin might not be a great fit for the job. He’s been saying as much since February. According to CNN, Tillis said this week that he has “serious questions” about Martin’s nomination, specifically noting that his past remarks criticizing police officers who defended the Capitol on January 6 gave him pause. Martin, of course, also represented Jan. 6 defendants.
“I’m talking about somebody who wants to be [U.S. attorney] in the jurisdiction where that event and future events could possibly occur,” Tillis told CNN.“And I’m going to have to get some pretty fulsome responses for me to feel comfortable with this nomination.”
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) made a pseudo acknowledgment this week that some of his fellow Republicans on the panel may not be completely sold on Martin serving in a permanent capacity, CNN reported.
“We’ve had people on our staff that had more questions,” he said, according to CNN.
In an email to TPM Thursday, Josh Sorbe, spokesperson for Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Durbin’s and other Democrats’ effort to shed light on how unqualified Martin is for the position — as evidenced by how he has used the gig (in an acting capacity) thus far to carry out Trump’s retribution agenda.
“Ranking Member Durbin and Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats will continue to scrutinize Ed Martin’s deeply problematic record and make the case that he is not fit to be a U.S. Attorney. Ranking Member Durbin will call for a vote on holding a hearing if and when the Committee decides to move forward with the nomination,” he said.
A source familiar with Martin’s nomination told TPM that, “at this time Martin doesn’t have the votes to be approved.”
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) similarly told TPM in an emailed statement that he stands with fellow Senate Democrats in urging Grassley to hold a hearing on Martin’s nomination.
“The American people deserve transparency on Ed Martin’s nomination to be the next U.S. Attorney for DC. His previous comments in support of The Big Lie and association with January 6th insurrectionists have raised serious concerns and make it necessary to more closely examine his qualifications for one of the country’s top law enforcement roles,” Padilla told TPM. “I stand with my fellow Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in continuing to call on Chairman Grassley to immediately hold a hearing on Ed Martin’s nomination.”
While Durbin may be holding off on demanding a hearing for now, he was one of several Judiciary Committee Democrats who last month, in a letter to Grassley, requested that the chairman consider holding a hearing on Martin’s nomination. In the April 2nd letter, Senate Democrats argued that Martin “abused his position in multiple ways since being named Interim U.S. Attorney.”
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