GOP Sen. Thom Tillis said Tuesday he has told the White House he will oppose Ed Martin’s nomination to be the top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia, a potentially fatal blow to his already dicey confirmation chances.
Tillis spoke to reporters after meeting with Martin on Monday night. The North Carolinian, who is seeking reelection next year, had previously signaled he had concerns with Martin’s nomination as U.S. attorney because of his previous comments related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack and his work defending those who took part in the riot.
“I have no tolerance for anybody that entered the building on Jan. 6, and that’s probably where most of the friction was,” Tillis said Tuesday.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters after Tillis’ comments that Martin is now unlikely to emerge from the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Martin is now serving as acting U.S. attorney for D.C. — an appointment that expires May 20. President Donald Trump is lobbying hard for Martin’s confirmation, posting about it on Truth Social Monday: “Ed is coming up on the deadline for Voting and, if approved, HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.”
Tillis is a member of the Judiciary Committee, and his opposition means the panel would likely deadlock on Martin’s nomination, 11-11, with several other Judiciary Republicans still uncommitted. Senate Republicans could try to advance him out of committee without a recommendation, but Martin would face bigger headaches on the floor: GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, John Curtis of Utah and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky are viewed as votes to watch.
Tillis said he did not expect Martin to come up in the Senate Judiciary Committee for a vote. Asked about Martin’s prospects Tuesday, Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said, “I want the president’s nominees to be successful, and that means we put on [the committee agenda] people who have the votes.”
Tillis’ opposition, Grassley added, “isn’t the end of it, but that’s where we are right now.”
