Ex-interim US attorney in Washington Ed Martin reveals he faces ethics probe

By Hannah Rabinowitz, CNN

(CNN) — Ed Martin, who left his position this week as the top federal prosecutor in Washington, DC, to take another job within the Justice Department because his chances of being confirmed to the post were dwindling, is facing an ethics probe, according to a letter reviewed by CNN.

Martin told his entire staff on his last day as interim US attorney, that he is under investigation by the DC Office of Disciplinary Counsel, which investigates claims of misconduct against attorneys.

Martin also revealed a letter addressed to the chief judge of the DC Court of Appeals in which he accused the office and its chief Hamilton P. “Phil” Fox of “weaponizing his role, responsibilities and his office against me.” The ethics office, Martin alleged, inappropriately told a unit within the DC US attorney’s office of an investigation they had launched against him.

Martin does not say in his letter what allegations the board was looking in to but asked the chief judge, who oversees the Disciplinary Board, to suspend Fox and “to dismiss this case against me because of his prejudicial conduct.”

The disclosure, which Martin claims was improper, was in an email sent to the general intake address for the civil division of his office. The email contained a copy of the complaint against him and related materials.

He said that the complaint was also delivered to his home.

CNN has reached out to the DC Office of Disciplinary Counsel for comment.

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