A coalition of 23 state attorneys general is urging the U.S. Senate to move swiftly on confirming Ed Martin, President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, citing an urgent need to restore the rule of law in the nation’s capital before a looming deadline could hand appointment power to judges aligned with Trump critics.
In a letter exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, the attorneys general—led by Indiana AG Todd Rokita—called for Martin’s immediate confirmation, warning that a May 20 deadline could trigger a procedural handoff that would empower Judge James Boasberg, the Obama-appointed chief judge of the D.C. District Court, to name a temporary replacement.
“To put it bluntly, the District of Columbia is broken,” the letter states. “Four years of alleged corruption, mismanagement, and derelictions of duty in the U.S. Attorney’s Office under President Biden’s appointees are in many ways to blame.”
Ed Martin, who began serving as interim U.S. Attorney for D.C. on Inauguration Day 2025, is a polarizing figure. A former defense attorney, Martin has previously represented clients charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot, a fact that critics say politicizes his nomination. However, his supporters argue that this background demonstrates his commitment to constitutional protections and legal balance in what they describe as a deeply compromised justice system.
Rokita praised Martin’s brief tenure as already having an “immediate impact,” pointing to what he characterized as a media meltdown in response to Martin’s early efforts to clean house. The letter emphasized that Martin’s track record is already on display and should serve to ease confirmation.
“The District should be made safe again. The District should have a U.S. Attorney who replaces the rule of lawfare with the rule of law. Ed Martin is the man to achieve those goals,” the letter states.
The urgency behind the letter revolves around a little-known procedural rule. According to Department of Justice protocols, if the Senate does not confirm an interim U.S. Attorney within 120 days, then the chief judge of the relevant district court may appoint a temporary replacement.
In this case, that would be Judge Boasberg, who has become a frequent target of Trump’s criticism. Earlier this year, Boasberg blocked Trump’s Venezuelan deportation initiative, prompting the former president to post on Truth Social that the DC and New York courts are “the most preeminent” in corruption and radicalism.
Boasberg’s leadership over a district court that has repeatedly ruled against Trump’s policies adds political tension to what is ordinarily a procedural matter. Trump and his allies are framing the confirmation vote as not just about Martin, but about keeping control out of the hands of a judiciary they view as hostile.
🚨BREAKING🚨 GOP Senator Thom Tillis says he OPPOSES the nomination of Ed Martin for DC US Attorney.
“At this point I’ve indicated to the White House I wouldn’t support his nomination.” pic.twitter.com/PqJOiJc4PO
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 6, 2025
The attorneys general addressed their letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, both Republicans, applying pressure on leadership to avoid delays that could result in Boasberg making a court appointment.
This coordinated push reflects broader Republican frustration with what they see as an ongoing weaponization of the judiciary and a determination to restructure the Department of Justice from within.
Martin’s confirmation would mark a significant win for Trump-aligned efforts to reassert authority in federal law enforcement hubs, especially in a jurisdiction that has prosecuted hundreds of January 6 cases and is central to political cases involving Trump allies and former administration officials.
