Ed Martin, a conservative activist and staunch ally of President Donald Trump, has been removed as head of the Justice Department’s Weaponization Working Group, according to multiple reports.
Martin is no longer leading the office, which Attorney General Pam Bondi established in early 2025 to review concerns about politicization in federal law enforcement and prosecutorial decisions.
He remains at the Justice Department as the pardon attorney but has been reassigned from the department’s main headquarters to another DOJ office building in Washington, D.C., away from senior leadership offices.
Officials familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that the working group was not making sufficient progress under Martin’s leadership, though the department has not publicly explained the personnel change.
The move is expected to shift greater responsibility for the working group’s operations to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
Before leading the working group, Martin served briefly as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, a tenure that drew criticism from some lawmakers and legal observers over his background and his handling of sensitive cases.
CBS News continues:
Behind the scenes, Martin was involved in the mortgage-related investigations into Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook, sources familiar told CBS News, though his exact role remains unclear.
All of those probes were initially referred to the Justice Department by William Pulte, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and a staunch Trump ally.
CBS News could not immediately determine why Martin is no longer involved with the Weaponization Working Group. One source told CBS he was informed of the change in December, and it took effect in early January.
Martin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
CBS News reported that Martin faced internal friction with Blanche’s office, with sources citing concerns about the group’s progress and his social media activity.
The Weaponization Working Group has drawn both support and criticism since its creation, with proponents arguing it is needed to address perceived political bias in federal prosecutions, while opponents have questioned its structure and scope.
Outside watchdog groups and some Democratic lawmakers have also sought oversight of Martin’s activities, including requests related to DOJ recordkeeping practices.
The leadership change comes as the working group continues to draw attention over its mission and operations.
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Who labeled it as the “Weaponization Working Group”? Is that your label or the label the DJ gave it.