By Allan Lengel
When President Donald Trump picked Ed Martin as the interim U.S. Attorney in D.C. in January, he knew he was getting someone with unbridled loyalty who would carry out his vindictive agenda without challenge. Martin didn’t disappoint.
Martin fired or demoted assistant U.S. Attorneys who were part of investigations into Trump or the January 6 rioters, some of whom attacked police. An election denier, he became a passionate defender of the January 6 riots and threatened to investigate Democrats, academic institutions, and critics of Elon Musk.
Concerns about Martin’s pending Senate confirmation grew so loud that even Republicans started speaking out against it. It was clear his confirmation was doomed.
Now, Trump has turned to another poor choice — his close ally, former Judge Jeanine Pirro, 73, a Fox News host and election denier — to replace Martin. Anyone who has watched Fox News over the years has seen Pirro gush endlessly over Trump and defend the indefensible at times.
It’s clear Pirro will continue the mission Martin fully supported. She won’t ask questions. She won’t push back against Trump’s vindictive agenda. The interim appointment is for 120 days.
Whether Trump plans to pursue her confirmation in the Senate is another question. Hopefully, the answer is no. This high-profile office has had many dignified and ethical U.S. Attorneys appointed by both Democrats and Republicans including Roscoe Howard, Eric Holder, Channing Phillips and Ken Wainstein. It’s a shame Trump’s latest picks have disgraced the position.
But the bigger question is: if some Republicans, like Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, voiced opposition to Martin, why wouldn’t they also express concern about Pirro? There’s no distinction. We shall see.
Pirro, like Martin, will be nothing but a stooge for Trump.
And that means justice — and the citizens — will lose.
