Top DOJ Official Ed Martin Posts Threatening Photo in Probe of Letitia James

Ed Martin, the Trump crony who heads the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) vague weaponization task force, posted a picture of himself outside the home of New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), who he is investigating over flimsy mortgage fraud allegations.

Martin posted the photo just days after he sent James’ attorney Abbe Lowell a letter asking that she resign from public office “as an act of good faith” or face further proceedings. 

Attorney General Pam Bondi tapped Martin to investigate mortgage fraud allegations against James and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), two of President Donald Trump’s foremost political adversaries.

The DOJ’s investigations into Smith, James and several other of the president’s political opponents have reinforced fears that Trump and his political appointees are weaponizing the federal government as part of a retribution campaign against those who have attempted to hold him accountable.

Martin’s letter, photo shoot and his recent public comments on the James and Schiff investigations, too, appear wildly in violation of internal DOJ protocols and norms, which generally prohibit prosecutors from commenting on ongoing investigations in consideration of the privacy and reputations of uncharged parties like James and Schiff.

In a letter in response to Martin, Lowell described his Columbo-esque photo as a “truly bizarre, made-for-media stunt,” pointing out that a photojournalist had been outside James’ home waiting for Martin.

“This orchestrated photo opportunity for your go-to media outlet, during an investigation, with the intent and/or result to prejudice Ms. James is outside the bounds of DOJ and ethics rules,” Lowell wrote.

Lowell also noted the irony of Martin, the director of the DOJ’s “Weaponization Working Group” using his position to target only Democratic officeholders.

“It appears that the Working Group you now lead is aptly named as it is ‘Weaponizing’ DOJ to carry out the President’s and Attorney General’s threats,” Lowell wrote. 

Martin’s actions toward James could undermine a future criminal case against her.

Martin did not immediately respond to Democracy Docket’s request for comment. His actions in the James and Schiff investigations so far have been similar to several bombastic and norm-breaking steps he took in his brief time as acting U.S. attorney for D.C.

In that role, Martin sought a grand jury investigation into Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), sent threatening letters to scientific journals and law schools and moved to dismiss charges against a Jan. 6 criminal defendant while he still represented the defendant as a defense attorney.

Trump earlier this year pulled Matin’s nomination for U.S. attorney of D.C. after multiple Republican senators said they wouldn’t vote to confirm him because of his work defending Jan. 6 rioters and actions as acting attorney.

Martin hasn’t been the only DOJ official to appear out of step with department protocols in investigating James.

John Sarcone, interim U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, appeared to violate internal DOJ policies around commenting on ongoing investigations by publicly confirming the department’s mortgage fraud probe into James. 

While confirming the probe, Sarcone disparaged James by accusing her of being improper, unprofessional and unethical.