South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general in urging the U.S. Senate to confirm Edward R. Martin Jr. as the permanent United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. The coalition, in a letter addressed to Senate leadership and the Judiciary Committee, emphasized their support for President Trump's nominee by highlighting Martin's track record and conservative values.
Attorney General Wilson stated, "Washington, D.C. is broken, and Ed Martin is fixing it," pointing out that under Martin's interim leadership since January 2025, there have been significant improvements in law enforcement outcomes in D.C., including a reduction in violent crime and an increase in prosecutions.
The letter detailed several achievements under Martin's direction: targeting violent gangs, disrupting terror financing operations linked to Hamas, indicting Chinese cybercriminals, and addressing government corruption. These efforts reportedly contributed to a 25% decrease in violent crime across the District.
Wilson also mentioned Martin’s efforts to depoliticize the office following what he described as politically motivated prosecutions by previous administrations. He remarked, “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C. had become ground zero for political prosecution. Ed Martin is restoring credibility and fairness.”
In response to criticism from Senate Democrats regarding Martin's nomination, the letter asserted that such attacks are part of a longstanding pattern against conservative nominees but maintained that "Mr. Martin is the right person for this job."
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