Trump attorney hit with misconduct charges — could be stripped of law license

An lawyer serving as President Donald Trump's pardon attorney for the Justice Department has been formally accused of misconduct.

The District of Columbia Bar filed ethics charges against DOJ pardon attorney Ed Martin over a threatening letter he sent last year, when he was serving as interim U.S. attorney, to the Georgetown University Law Center questioning its diversity and inclusion policies, reported CBS News.

The investigation could end with his being stripped of his law license.

"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."

Martin's letter informed university officials that a whistleblower claimed Georgetown was teaching DEI and asked officials about the claim, but before they responded he notified the school that his office would no longer employ any Georgetown students as fellows, interns or employees.

Those actions violated the First and Fifth Amendments by making demands on how and what the law school teaches, according to D.C. Disciplinary Counsel Hamilton "Phil" Fox, but the DOJ accused the bar of being a partisan organization.

"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 DOJ said in a statement.

Martin, who had been a lawyer for numerous Jan. 6 rioters, was reassigned to head the DOJ's so-called weaponization working group after it became clear he would not be confirmed as U.S. attorney, but he has since been stripped of those duties as well and remains on staff as the DOJ pardon attorney.