Ed Martin removed from role as weaponization czar at Justice Dept., sources say

Ed Martin has been removed from his relation arsenic the caput of Attorney General Pam Bondi's Weaponization Working Group, aggregate sources told CBS News.

One root adjacent to Martin said helium was informed successful mid-December that his word connected the moving radical would expire astatine the extremity of the year.

Martin, a adjacent state to President Trump, was tapped to pb the moving radical aft helium failed to garner capable support from the Republican-controlled Senate to triumph confirmation arsenic D.C.'s U.S. attorney, mostly owed to his past of governmental advocacy successful supporting the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol connected Jan. 6, 2021.

Martin was besides named pardon attorney — an advisory relation to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche that entails reviewing clemency applications and making recommendations. Later, helium was separately deputized arsenic a peculiar adjunct U.S. lawyer who was tasked with helping to analyse owe fraud cases involving nationalist officials. 

He remains connected unit arsenic pardon attorney, according to a Justice Department spokesperson. CNN archetypal reported Martin's removal arsenic weaponization czar.

Behind the scenes, Martin was progressive successful the mortgage-related investigations into Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California, New York Attorney General Letitica James and Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook, sources acquainted told CBS News, though his nonstop relation remains unclear.

All of those probes were initially referred to the Justice Department by William Pulte, the manager of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and a staunch Trump ally.

CBS News could not instantly find wherefore Martin is nary longer progressive with the Weaponization Working Group. One root told CBS helium was informed of the alteration successful December, and it took effect successful aboriginal January.

Martin did not instantly respond to a petition for comment. 

Martin has astatine times clashed with officials wrong Blanche's bureau since helium started moving determination past twelvemonth implicit his deficiency of productivity connected the moving radical and his arguable societal media posts, respective sources told CBS News. 

In precocious 2025, the Justice Department began scrutinizing Martin and Pulte's relation successful the Schiff investigation, aft prosecutors issued a expansive assemblage subpoena to a cardinal witnesser successful the case.

The witness, California person and existent property cause Christine Bash, was asked to supply accusation astir her communications with Martin, Pulte and anyone who mightiness person been acting astatine their behest — including Robert Bowes and Scott Strauss, according to a transcript of the subpoena seen by CBS News.

Bowes antecedently served successful the archetypal Trump medication astatine the Department of Housing and Urban Development and besides held positions astatine Chase Manhattan Bank and Fannie Mae.

One root briefed connected the substance told CBS News that prosecutors were trying to ascertain whether Pulte and Martin had improperly deputized Bowes and Strauss to assistance connected the Schiff investigation.

CBS News could not find the presumption of that investigation. Schiff, who has denied immoderate wrongdoing, has not been charged successful the case.

Martin's little tenure arsenic interim U.S. lawyer successful Washington was fraught with controversy. Career lawyers blocked him from opening a transgression probe into Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer implicit governmental comments helium made successful 2020 successful which Schumer said that respective blimpish Supreme Court justices would "pay the price" implicit actions that scaled backmost termination rights.

He besides drew scrutiny for a bid of threatening letters helium sent to a assortment of Mr. Trump's governmental enemies, for his omission connected Senate committee paperwork astir his anterior paid appearances connected Russia state-owned media outlets and his anterior nationalist praise for a Nazi sympathizer who was prosecuted for storming the Capitol.

Shortly earlier Martin started his caller relation arsenic the caput of the Weaponization Working Group, helium disclosed to lawyers successful the U.S. Attorney's bureau that helium was facing a nonrecreational morals probe by the D.C. Office of Disciplinary Counsel. CBS News could not instantly find the presumption of that probe.

The weaponization moving radical was tasked with reviewing a assortment of cases that were brought during erstwhile President Joe Biden's tenure, including the Jan. 6 prosecutions, the FACE Act prosecutions against radical who tried to obstruct termination clinics and alleged retaliation against whistleblowers.

Although the radical is required to contented reports to the White House, small has been accomplished since it formed past year, respective sources say.

Jennifer Jacobs contributed to this report.