Ed Martin, the interim US Attorney for DC and President Trump’s nominee to permanently fill the role, issued an ultimatum to Georgetown Law School’s dean earlier this week: Martin said his office would not hire anybody associated with the program unless the university suspends all of its DEI efforts. On the heels of yet another highly politicized action by Martin, a group of US senators is urging DC’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel to investigate his conduct.
In the letter, first obtained by far-right Canadian news website the Post Millennial, Martin informs dean William Treanor that he has “begun an inquiry” into the law school because he’s heard “reliably” that Georgetown “continues to teach and promote DEI.”
Martin asks Treanor if he has “eliminated all DEI” from the school and its curriculum and, if not, whether he will “move swiftly to remove it.” He goes on to write, “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.”
According to the Post Millennial, the letter to Treanor was dated February 17 but was resent on Monday “after an email delivery issue was resolved.” The Washington Post later reported that Martin’s initial message was misaddressed. This is not the first (or second, or third) email-related blunder of Martin’s career.
Treanor, whose background is primarily rooted in constitutional law, apparently out-lawyered Martin in his Thursday response to the threat, writing, “Given the First Amendment’s protection of a university’s freedom to determine its own curriculum and how to deliver it, the constitutional violation behind this threat is clear, as is the attack on the University’s mission as a Jesuit and Catholic institution.”
Attempting to own a renowned law professor by violating his right to free speech is just the latest in a series of unusual prerogatives for Martin since Inauguration Day. Shortly after taking office, Martin—who defended January 6 clients prior to joining Trump’s second administration—fired about 30 federal prosecutors who worked on January 6 cases. He also requested that a judge drop charges against one of his own former January 6 clients, and vowed legal action against “anyone who impedes” the work of Elon Musk’s DOGE project.
