Justice Department official accused of ethics violations for letter to Georgetown dean

WASHINGTON — The office that enforces ethics standards for attorneys in the nation’s capital has accused Justice Department official Ed Martin of professional misconduct for a threatening letter that he sent to Georgetown Law School’s dean last year, when Martin was the top federal prosecutor for Washington, D.C.

Georgetown University is one of the leading Catholic universities in the United States, and affiliated with the Jesuit order.

Martin was the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia when he warned the Georgetown dean that his office wouldn’t hire the private school’s students if it didn’t eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs, according to ethics charges filed last Friday by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.

Martin, an ardent Trump loyalist who is now the Justice Department’s pardon attorney, is accused of violating his oath of office and the Constitution’s rights to free speech and due process. Disciplinary Counsel Hamilton Fox, who filed the ethics charges against Martin, is asking a panel of D.C. Court of Appeals officials to decide if any discipline is warranted.

Martin and an attorney representing him in the matter didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment. Martin has 20 days to formally respond in writing.