What the reports say
Investigative reporter Paul Sperry says Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche fired Ed Martin as chief of the Justice Department’s Weaponization Working Group on December 31 and cleared out the group’s office at Main Justice. Sperry’s sources claim Blanche also denied Martin staff and budget and effectively shut down the office. The DOJ has told reporters that Martin remains at the department serving as the Pardon Attorney.
Who is Ed Martin and why this matters
Ed Martin was tapped by President Trump to be the U.S. Pardon Attorney and was assigned to lead the Weaponization Working Group. That group was meant to look into claims that political foes used the justice system as a tool. If the office was closed without completing work, accountability for past abuses could stall. People who care about equal justice will want to know why the effort was halted and who decided that it should stop.
Blanche’s role and political context
Todd Blanche is the deputy attorney general and a well connected figure inside DOJ. Reporters note he registered with the Democratic Party through 2024. That detail is relevant because closing a unit that was reviewing politically charged matters raises concerns about impartiality. Critics will argue that politics are shaping who gets to pursue accountability and who does not.
Previous rumors and investigations
There were earlier reports that Blanche was overseeing a probe into Martin related to an unrelated investigation. Later reporting said Martin was not under investigation. That swirl of rumors and denials makes the sudden shutdown more puzzling. It leaves more questions than answers about timing and motive.
What to watch next
Look for internal DOJ statements, budget documents, and any new staffing notices. If files or cases Martin was handling are reassigned or buried, watchdogs and Congress should demand a clear accounting. This is not just an office move. It touches on trust in the department that is supposed to be blind to politics.
BREAKING: DOJ sources tell me DAG Todd Blanche, a registered Democrat through 2024, fired Ed Martin on Dec. 31 and effectively shut down the Weaponization Working Group office. Blanche cleared out the WWG suite at Main Justice to make room for the latest Epstein files production.…
— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) February 3, 2026
"Weaponization [Working Group] efforts ended on New Year's Eve," a DOJ insider told me.
— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) February 3, 2026
It is always difficult to comment on an ongoing investigation, but @chad_mizelle knows of what he speaks. https://t.co/8TvQFbB3R5
— Ed Martin (@EdMartinDOJ) November 22, 2025
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS! PLEASE COMMENT BELOW.
JIMMY
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