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‘Fool me once…’ Trump-appointed Interim U.S. Attorney dealing with a leak problem first week on the job

January 29, 2025 | | Print Article

The “professionally unacceptable” behavior in the Justice Department proved worse than suspected after Washington, D.C.’s top prosecutor’s leak lament was also leaked.

Since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has advanced a number of actions to clear out the establishment swamp, including offering the maximum allowable compensation for federal employees to resign by Feb. 6. Administration officials appeared to have their work cut out for them Tuesday when CNN reported on a followup email from Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin wherein he criticized a previous leak.

“Wow, what a disappointment to have my email yesterday to you all was leaked almost immediately,” Martin reportedly wrote. “Again, personally insulting and professionally unacceptable. I guess I have learned my lesson (‘Fool me once…’).”

The second leak followed Martin directing staff to review the handling of some Jan. 6 cases, particularly ones where prosecutors were said to have overstepped charging decisions per a Supreme Court ruling. Specifically, the U.S. attorney sought an internal inquiry about the 1512(c) obstruction statute which had been used to prosecute Jan. 6 defendants before the Supreme Court ruling narrowing its use.

“…you are all responsible to pull your work related to 1512 in any case or matter as I instructed,” he said. “Please be proactive–if you have nothing, tell the co-chairs. Failure to do so strikes me as insubordinate.”

Amid the effort, former Jan. 6 prosecutor Ashley Akers left the Justice Department and embarked on a social media circuit that included appearances on CNN and MSNBC where she referred to Trump’s pardons of J6ers as “shocking” as the first week of his administration proved “guttural” for career employees while contending Martin was “advocating on behalf of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers.”

Julie Kelly shared one such interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and said, “As I noted yesterday, the newest crisis actors on the J6 scene are J6 prosecutors way mad their abusive prosecution of American citizens is being exposed and undone by President Trump. Ashley Akers has her dirty mitts on several J6 cases.”

In one of his leaked communications, Martin referred to the prosecutor’s behavior by name and said, “Someone named Ashley [Akers] has been going on television badmouthing our work (and me!). I have never met her so I find her comments disconnected from reality–not a credit to our office.”

“She mentioned ‘fear’ (and used the word ‘guttural’) — I am not sure to what she is referring…I will be reaching out to her,” he added. “Maybe she had issues with her supervisors or my predecessor. We will see if we can help her.”

CNN noted that Akers declined to comment about the U.S. attorney’s emails as the outlet detailed another message obtained from the official that read, “Unfortunately, immediately after our ‘get to know you’ meetings, one of the attendees leaked to the press about a specific detail.”

“This is personally insulting, of course, and professionally unacceptable. If you are the person or person who leaked,” said Martin, “feel free to contact me directly.”

Kevin Haggerty
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