Trump’s nomination of Ed Martin to be the next U.S. Attorney in D.C. isn’t garnering applause from people who live in the District. The reason why could be his long list of corruption allegations and his history of siding with far-right and conservative groups that actively oppose any attempt at passing progressive policies.
One of those groups is the Eagle Forum founded by anti-feminist Phyllis Schlafly. The group’s self-declared mission is to “enable conservative and pro-family men and women to participate in the process of self-government and public policy-making so that America will continue to be a land of individual liberty, with respect for the nuclear family, public and private virtue, and private enterprise.”
One of the Eagle Forum’s most significant accomplishments was leading the ten-year battle to defeat what it called “the misnamed Equal Rights Amendment” which would have guaranteed women’s legal equality. The Eagle Forum said it was a Trojan Horse carrying a “hidden agenda of same-sex marriages and tax-funded abortions.”
This kind of campaign is right up the alley of Ed Martin, who in 2005 was an attorney for Americans United for Life, a law firm specializing in cases that try to limit reproductive freedom. The case he worked on for them was a challenge to the rule that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich put in place requiring that pharmacists and pharmacies distribute emergency contraceptives without delay. The measure was eventually overturned.
Martin is also no stranger to corruption, critics say. He is alleged to have used his previous position as chief of staff to Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt to fire Scott Eckersley, the state’s Deputy General Counsel. The reason for Martin firing Eckersley? He had announced plans to hold the governor accountable for deleting emails that were public record – emails encouraging opposition to Blunt’s political opponent, Jay Nixon.
Just like Donald Trump in 2020, Martin claimed election fraud when he lost the race for a House seat representing a district in Missouri back in 2010. So, it comes as no surprise that Martin says one of his top priorities as U.S. Attorney is the creation of a “Special Unit” for what he claims will be “Election Accountability.” Already acting as the interim U.S. Attorney, Martin said the unit “has begun one investigation and will continue to make sure that all the election laws of our nation are obeyed.”
With a resumé like this, it’s no surprise that Trump set his sights on Ed Martin and wanted to appoint him as the top prosecutor in D.C. He fits the bill of conservative “values” such as “law and order,” suppression of free speech, and infringement on people’s rights.
The position of U.S. Attorney for D.C. is important because it is uniquely tasked with handling federal crimes in the nation’s capital, including those involving federal officials and facilities.
Following his appointment, some of the actions Martin has taken so far include the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative, echoing Trump’s MAGA slogan. The scheme seeks more federal district court prosecutions of D.C. gun crimes.
“Hey, thugs with guns, you hear that? Yup, we comin’,” Martin said in a memo to staff recently. The coded language is a not-so-subtle way of targeting the District’s primarily Black population, as “thugs” is commonly used as a euphemism for any person not a part of the dominant group to manufacture public consent for the militarization of local police.
Another decision was the demotion of a group of top prosecutors in the office to entry level positions, including those who helped prosecute those involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection and coup attempt.
He’s also ordered Georgetown University Law School to immediately end diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, sending a warning that his office will not hire any students or affiliates associated with the university if it keeps its DEI policies.
In a letter sent to the dean of the Georgetown law school, Martin wrote: “At this time, you should know that no applicant for our fellows program, our summer internship, or employment in our office who is a student or affiliated with a law school or university that continues to teach and utilize DEI will be considered.”
These are just a few of the actions Martin has taken in an effort to increase Republican power over the residents of D.C. He has signaled his intention to act as an instrument of Trump to reign in any progressive initiatives or actions that challenge the power of the monopoly capitalist class in the capital city.
The next steps for the people of D.C. and allies are clear. These far-right efforts must be met with an organized response to let the Trump and his administration know that he cannot just do whatever he wants in D.C. The battle will take a collective effort, and we will have to rely on our strength in numbers. But we must use our voices and wield our power to create the conditions necessary for change.
As with all op-eds published by People’s World, this article reflects the views of its author.
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