Trump's "weaponization" group plans to "shame" those they can't charge with crimes

Washington DC - Ed Martin, the head of President Donald Trump's "Weaponization Working Group," recently laid out details on how he plans to go after individuals that previously targeted the president.

The head of President Donald Trump's Weaponization Working Group recently shared his plans to "shame" individuals he won't be able to charge with crimes.
The head of President Donald Trump's Weaponization Working Group recently shared his plans to "shame" individuals he won't be able to charge with crimes.  © MANDEL NGAN / AFP

On Tuesday, Martin, who previously served as a defense attorney for January 6 Capitol rioters, held a press conference, in which he claimed there were "bad actors, who did some really bad things to the American people" with the administration of Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden.

"If they can be charged, we'll charge them. But if they can't be charged, we will name them... and in a culture that respects shame, they should be people that are ashamed. And that's a fact," Martin stated, per NBC News.

"That's the way things work, and so that’s how I believe the job operates."

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He went on to say his group plans to investigate pardons Biden signed before leaving office, arguing they "need some scrutiny" because "we want pardons to matter."

Trump had originally nominated Martin to be US attorney for the District of Columbia, which was ultimately blocked by the Senate. Now, the president is attempting to get Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to fill the role.

Martin's remarks faced pushback from reporters, who noted that DOJ protocol advises against officials publicly confirming the existence of or commenting on ongoing investigations, but Martin said he was ordered to "be out more and talk about what's going on."

What is the "Weaponization Working Group"?

Martin's comments come as he gears up to take on the role of pardon attorney for the Department of Justice and director of the weaponization group, which Attorney General Pam Bondi created in accordance with an executive order the president signed after taking office.

The group has been tasked with investigating a number of Trump's political opponents whom he has claimed weaponized the justice system to go after him with federal and criminal investigations, such as federal prosecutor Jack Smith and New York Attorney General Letitia James.

In a recent interview with Breitbart, Martin also claimed the group would be investigating prosecutions against January 6 rioters, pro-life advocates, and law enforcement officers.

Cover photo: MANDEL NGAN / AFP

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