As one could have guessed, the situation around former Missouri GOP gadfly Ed Martin has become muddled, murky and even messed up.

One key Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, said Tuesday that he would not support Martin becoming the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.

Tillis has blasted Martin for his past support for about 400 protesters who were charged with assaulting police officers on Jan. 6, 2021.

“We have to be very, very clear that what happened (Jan. 6) was wrong,” Tillis told reporters on Tuesday. “They made a stupid decision, and they disgraced the United States by absolutely destroying the Capitol.”

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And while Josh Hawley, Missouri’s senior U.S. Senator and also a member of the judiciary committee, still says he supports Martin’s confirmation, he doesn’t seem hellbent on going to the mat to make it happen.

Hawley told the Washington Post that Martin’s bid “is up to the president now. Does he want to continue to push this?”

According to Washington Post sources, the stumbling block is that Tillis’ objection to Martin’s confirmation kept Martin’s name off the judiciary committee’s agenda for this week.

That means the earliest a committee vote could be taken is May 22. The deadline for confirmation is May 20.

Said Hawley, “If (Trump) really wants someone, he might be able to get Senator Tillis to change his mind. But I think it’d probably take the president to do that.”

Along with Trump’s backing, Martin has the support of several powerful GOP senators, including judiciary committee chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa and John Cornyn of Texas.

On the other hand, some other influential senators — specifically Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota and Ted Cruz of Texas — have remained uncommitted.

Democrats allege that Martin, in his current interim service as U.S. attorney, has fired and demoted government workers who investigated Trump and his allies, and has engaged in improperly “weaponizing” his office to chill or punish perceived adversaries.

Martin, who used to live in St. Louis, broke onto the Missouri political scene in 2005, when he served as chief of staff to Gov. Matt Blunt. He also has served as chair of the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners and head of the state Republican Party.

While here, he lost a bid to become Missouri attorney general and twice failed to be elected to the U.S. House.

Post-Dispatch photographers capture hundreds of images each week; here's a glimpse at the week of April 27, 2025. Video edited by Jenna Jones.

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