GOP leader: Trump pick to serve as U.S. attorney for DC won’t reach floor

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) says that Ed Martin, President Trump’s controversial pick to serve as U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, will “probably” stay stuck in the Senate Judiciary Committee given the opposition from Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

Thune indicated that he doesn’t see a path for getting Martin to the Senate floor if Tillis, a member of the Judiciary panel, remains opposed to the nominee.

“I think that would suggest that he’s probably not going to get out of committee,” Thune told reporters Tuesday when informed that Tillis won’t back the nominee.

Senate Republicans control a 12-10 majority on the Judiciary Committee. If Tillis votes "no," Martin will be stuck in committee on an 11-11 deadlock. 

Tillis met with Martin Monday afternoon but that didn’t allay his concerns over Martin’s advocacy for people convicted of crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The North Carolina senator said he has told the White House he won’t back Martin, despite Trump’s efforts to save the beleaguered nominee.

“Most of my concerns relate to Jan. 6,” Tillis said Tuesday morning. “I think that anybody that breached the perimeter should have been imprisoned for some period of time, whether it’s 30 days or three years is debatable but I have no tolerance for anybody who entered the building on Jan. 6 and that’s probably where most of the friction was.”

Tillis said Martin argued that some people who were prosecuted for Jan. 6-related crimes “got caught up” in the crowd that entered the Capitol.

“We have to be very, very clear that what happened on Jan. 6 was wrong. It was not prompted or created by other people to put those people in trouble. They made a stupid decision and they disgraced the United States by absolutely destroying the Capitol,” Tillis said.

Tillis criticized Trump’s decision to pardon people convicted of Jan. 6-related crimes after being sworn into office in January.

“If Mr. Martin were being put forth as a U.S. attorney for any district except the district where Jan. 6 happened, the protest happened, I’d probably support him but not in this district,” he said.

Tillis said he communicated his position to the White House.

“At this point, I’ve indicated to the White House I wouldn’t support his nomination,” he said.

Tillis made his comments after Trump reached out senators in an effort to save Martin’s nomination and defended his nominee on social media as a critical piece to advancing his agenda.

“According to many but, in particular, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., his approval is IMPERATIVE in terms of doing all that has to be done to SAVE LIVES and to, MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN,” Trump posted on Truth Social, referring to his secretary of Health and Human Services.

Trump said his health agenda is “a passion for Ed.”

“WE are going to take our Country BACK, and FAST. Ed Martin will be a big player in doing so and, I hope, that the Republican senators will make a commitment to his approval, which is now before them,” Trump tweeted.