Lawsuit against the Department of Justice over Ed Martin’s records

We filed suit against DOJ for failing to respond to multiple FOIA requests seeking transparency around Acting U.S. Attorney Ed Martin’s conduct and communications.

Democracy Forward submitted several FOIA requests to DOJ requesting records related to Ed Martin’s:

• Use of personal accounts (including X messages and text messages) to conduct official business;
• Email communications regarding his role as Acting U.S. Attorney;
• Calendar entries and visitor logs documenting meetings and interactions during his tenure.

Despite acknowledging receipt of the requests, DOJ has failed to provide the legally required records or respond within the required timeframe.

This lawsuit seeks to uncover the extent of Ed Martin’s actions while serving in the powerful role of U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, especially amid:

• His public support for January 6 defendants;
• Reports of retaliatory actions against career prosecutors;
• His self-description as “Trump’s lawyer”;
• Reports of investigations targeting members of Congress.

We are asking the court to compel DOJ to conduct proper records searches, release non-exempt documents, and uphold the public’s right to know.

The case is Democracy Forward Foundation v. U.S. Department of Justice.