DOJ's Ed Martin Faces Ethics Charges Over Threatening Letter to Georgetown University The D.C. Bar’s disciplinary office has filed ethics charges against Justice Department pardon attorney Ed Martin, alleging misconduct related to a threatening letter he sent to Georgetown University Law Center in 2023. The letter, which was disclosed in court filings, criticized the law school’s diversity and inclusion policies and led to sanctions against its students. The case was made public on Tuesday through filings in the D.C. Court of Appeals’ Board on Professional Responsibility. In the letter dated February 17, Martin, who was serving as interim U.S. attorney at the time, accused Georgetown of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and demanded changes. He claimed a whistleblower had raised concerns about the school’s approach to DEI education. Without awaiting a response, he instructed his office staff to stop employing Georgetown students as fellows, interns, or employees at the D.C. U.S. attorney’s office. Georgetown’s former dean, William Treanor, responded by condemning the letter as an “attack on the University’s mission as a Jesuit and Catholic institution.” The disciplinary complaint, authored by Disciplinary Counsel Hamilton “Phil” Fox III, argues that Martin’s actions violated the First and Fifth Amendments by using his official position to coerce the law school into altering its curriculum and teaching methods. The filing states that Martin’s demands effectively sought to suppress free speech and religious rights in exchange for employment opportunities for Georgetown students. The Justice Department has criticized the D.C. Bar, calling it a partisan entity.#pam_bondi #ed_martin #dcbar #georgetown_university #jeanine_pirro
Ed Martin, outspoken Justice Department lawyer, is formally accused of ethical violations Interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin faces attorney discipline proceedings in Washington, D.C., after being formally accused of violating ethical codes. The disciplinary complaint, filed by Hamilton Fox, the district’s professional conduct investigator, alleges that Martin violated his obligations as a government attorney by sending a letter to Georgetown Law’s dean last year. In the letter, Martin claimed the Justice Department would not hire students from Georgetown Law due to the school’s diversity, inclusion, and equity initiatives. The complaint, announced on Tuesday, marks the first major bar discipline proceeding against a high-profile Trump administration official or attorney supporting President Donald Trump during his second term. Fox’s filing states that Martin acted in his official capacity to suppress a disfavored viewpoint, specifically the teaching and promotion of “DEI” (diversity, equity, and inclusion) at Georgetown Law. The complaint argues that Martin demanded the law school relinquish its free speech and religious rights in exchange for continued employment opportunities for its students. Martin, who was removed from the top prosecutor role in D.C. after senators blocked his confirmation, remains at the Justice Department in several roles, including as pardon attorney. The disciplinary process requires Martin to respond to the allegations, with potential sanctions or the loss of his law license. A Justice Department spokesperson criticized the complaint, accusing the D.C. bar of targeting Trump supporters while ignoring ethical violations by previous administrations. The controversy stems from a letter Martin sent to Georgetown Law while temporarily serving as U.S.#ed_martin #georgetown_law #hamilton_fox #pam_bondi #dc_court_of_appeals
