Trump Legal Team Member Accused of Orchestrating Online Judge Attacks
Ed Martin allegedly ghostwrote criticism while serving as defendant in 2016 case
Ed Martin, currently serving as interim US Attorney for the District of Columbia in the Trump administration, allegedly orchestrated online attacks against an Illinois judge who ruled against him in a 2016 case. According to a ProPublica investigation, Martin provided a laptop to a woman named Priscilla Gray and directed her to post insulting comments about Judge John Barberis. The attacks reportedly began after Barberis issued an unfavorable ruling in a case involving Martin and the Eagle Forum organization.
The case centered on Martin's leadership of Eagle Forum, the conservative organization founded by Phyllis Schlafly. Martin had been fired as the organization's leader by its board and was challenging this decision in court when the alleged online harassment campaign began. Legal ethics experts consulted by ProPublica suggested Martin's actions could constitute deliberate interference with judicial proceedings intended to undermine the integrity of the court's decision. Martin has not provided comment on these allegations.
KEY POINTS
- •Trump legal official accused of judge attacks
- •Martin allegedly directed online criticism
- •Incident occurred during 2016 court case
Attempts to pursue criminal charges against Martin for the alleged scheme were unsuccessful. Schlafly's daughter reportedly sought to have Martin charged criminally over the online attacks, but a judge declined to allow the case to proceed. The ProPublica report indicates this incident is part of a broader examination of Martin's controversial legal career, which has included several high-profile positions and disputes.
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