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By Dan Gooding and Gabe Whisnant
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Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, said Tuesday he will not support Ed Martin, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia.
Tillis told reporters, in a video shared on X, formerly Twitter, by CBS News' Alan He, "I've indicated to the White House I wouldn't support his nomination. If Mr. Martin were being put forth as a U.S. attorney for any district except the district where January 6 happened, the protest happened, I'd probably support him. But not in this district."
Why It Matters
Trump appointed Martin, the former chair of the Missouri Republican Party, to become the top prosecutor in Washington. Martin is a Trump loyalist who previously provided legal representation to defendants charged with crimes related to the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
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What To Know
The Republican senator's decision derails Martin's nomination for now, as Tillis is on the Judiciary Committee and his vote is needed to advance Martin to a full Senate floor vote.
Tillis said that those who took part in the January 6 riot "made a stupid decision" and "disgraced the United States" when they attacked the U.S. Capitol. He added that he agreed with Martin in one area: that some people were likely "over prosecuted," but between two and three hundred should not have been pardoned.
The senator voiced his concerns about Martin's nomination last week, joining some Democratic Party colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee who felt Martin had dodged dozens of their questions or given false answers.
If Tillis doesn't vote to approve Martin as the next D.C. U.S. Attorney, his nomination may not make it past the committee, as there are only 12 Republicans against 10 Democrats.
If Martin's nomination fails by May 20, then Judge James Boasberg, who has clashed with the Trump administration in recent months, could choose his replacement.
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What People Are Saying
Senator Tom Tillis told reporters on Tuesday: "I have no tolerance for anybody who entered the building on January 6, and that's where most of the friction was."
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, on X (formerly Twitter): "Tillis' logic is absurd. He ignores or forgets that many J6ers who entered the Capitol were waved in by Capitol Police. Many simply looked inside the building or took a selfie and left. Those people did NOT deserve to spend a day in prison."
President Donald Trump, on Truth Social earlier this year: "Since Inauguration Day, Ed has been doing a great job as Interim U.S. Attorney, fighting tirelessly to restore Law and Order, and make our Nation's Capital Safe and Beautiful Again."
What Happens Next
A committee vote on Martin's nomination has yet to be scheduled. His interim posting will expire on May 20.
Update 5/6/25, 12:22 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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