Former interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin is accused of misconduct by ethics investigators in the District due to a letter he sent to Georgetown Law that raised questions about its diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
After a whistleblower claimed the law school was employing diversity, inclusion and equity policies, Mr. Martin sent a letter to university officials last year inquiring about such initiatives and eventually barred his federal prosecutors’ office from employing its students.
Hamilton Fox of the D.C. Bar’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel alleged that Mr. Martin’s conduct as interim U.S. attorney violated the First and Fifth amendments of the Constitution by demanding that the law school change its instructions, according to the Friday filing made in the D.C. Court of Appeals’ Board on Professional Responsibility.
“Acting in his official capacity and speaking on behalf of the government, he used coercion to punish or suppress a disfavored viewpoint, the teaching and promotion of DEI,” the court filing says. “He demanded that Georgetown Law relinquish its free speech and religious rights in order to obtain a benefit, employment opportunities for its students.”
Mr. Martin, a staunch ally of President Trump, wrote the letter when the Trump administration was ramping up its crackdown on universities’ DEI initiatives.
This complaint introduces attorney discipline proceedings that could result in Mr. Martin being sanctioned or losing his license to practice law. But Mr. Fox did not specify how he should be reprimanded if it’s determined that Mr. Martin made ethical violations.
The Department of Justice retaliated against the D.C. Bar, accusing it of being a partisan organization playing politics.
“The DC bar’s attempt to target and punish those serving President Trump while refusing to investigate or act against actual ethical violations that were committed by Biden and Obama administration attorneys is a clear indication of this partisan organization’s agenda,” the department said in a statement.
Mr. Martin’s brief tenure at the U.S. attorney’s office came to an end after it became clear that senators would not provide enough votes to confirm him, but he remained in other roles at the Justice Department, including his current role as pardon attorney.
Before he departed his former office, he announced that he was under investigation by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel without elaborating.
• Mary McCue Bell can be reached at mbell@washingtontimes.com.
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