Ed Martin, the outgoing U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, currently finds himself under scrutiny from the DC Office of Disciplinary Counsel, a situation he has labeled as ‘weaponization’ of legal processes.
Appointed by President Trump as the head of the DOJ’s Weaponization Working Group and Pardon Attorney, Martin’s tenure has taken a tumultuous turn as he faces a formal investigation.
In a farewell email addressed to his colleagues, Martin expressed his determination to confront the chief prosecutor of the DC Disciplinary Counsel, Hamilton “Phil” Fox III, whom he accuses of misconduct.
“The treatment we receive is outrageous, and I will persist in combating the weaponization of our law licenses. As detailed in the attached documents, I am challenging Mr. Fox directly. His actions are not just personally insulting; they are professionally unacceptable,” Martin stated, as reported by NBC News.
Martin elaborated in a letter addressed to a judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, asserting, “To clarify, Mr. Fox is misusing his authority and responsibilities against me and this office. He is leveraging a recent bar complaint as a weapon.” Martin goes on to request not only Fox’s immediate suspension for an investigation into his behavior but also the dismissal of the case against him due to what he deems prejudicial conduct.
NEW: Ousted Interim D.C. U.S. Attorney Ed Martin, who is now DOJ’s pardon attorney, revealed in an email to staff today he is under investigation by the DC Office of Disciplinary Counsel.https://t.co/ZVcuDofkHj
— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) May 14, 2025
NBC News reported on the unfolding situation:
The newly appointed head of the Justice Department’s “Weaponization Working Group” disclosed on Wednesday that he is under investigation by the D.C. Office of Disciplinary Counsel. He accuses the official responsible for investigating bar complaints of “weaponizing” his position, according to a letter reviewed by NBC News.
In his farewell message to staff, Ed Martin, the outgoing Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, lamented the actions of Disciplinary Counsel Hamilton P. “Phil” Fox III, who oversees disciplinary matters for attorneys in the D.C. Bar.
“I want you to be aware that I will keep fighting against the systemic abuse of our prosecutors by the Public Defender Service, the judges, and notably, the DC Disciplinary Counsel,” Martin wrote in the email. “It is utterly outrageous how we are treated, and I will continue to resist the weaponization of our legal licenses against us. Attached are the details of my confrontation with Mr. Fox, whose conduct I find both personally insulting and professionally unacceptable.”
