Ed Martin, the newly-appointed head of the Department of Justice’s Weaponization Working Group, has his eyes set on a powerful but often-overlooked institution: bar associations. And if Martin has his way, these legal gatekeepers may finally face scrutiny for what he calls a pattern of targeting conservative attorneys.
In an exclusive with the Daily Caller News Foundation, Martin didn’t hold back.
“The bar associations exist with a sort of monopoly, but they also exist at the discretion of the courts,” he said, adding, “I’ve seen the impact on the legal system, not only advocates like myself who are targeted, but rank and file prosecutors who are abused by the system because the left wants to have sort of lawlessness.”
Martin himself is under investigation by the D.C. Office of Disciplinary Counsel—an inquiry that Democrats pushed for after accusing him of misconduct during his time as interim U.S. Attorney for D.C. He allegedly dropped charges against a January 6 defendant he had previously represented and was also accused of using the threat of prosecution to intimidate government workers and private citizens.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Martin says the real scandal lies in how these bar associations operate.
“Most bar associations, state and national, are 501(c)(3) organizations,” Martin said. “If they’re not living up to what they should be, they’ll have to face scrutiny. And also, part of it is just the name and shame.”
He believes the disciplinary process is being weaponized—used selectively against conservative attorneys while protecting liberals behind a veil of confidentiality.
“It’s one thing for liberals, another thing for conservatives,” he said. “Confidentiality for themselves, and yet, somebody like me, I had a complaint against me, they exposed the confidentiality of the bar complaint and exposed it to random people in my work environment.”
His criticism comes at a time when other conservative attorneys like John Eastman—who advised President Trump during the 2020 election challenges—are also facing intense legal pushback from bar associations, particularly in progressive states like California.
A Deep-Rooted Problem?
There are hundreds of bar associations across the United States, many operating with significant influence over legal licenses and professional conduct. Because most of these associations hold 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, they enjoy generous protections and benefits. Yet Martin is now openly questioning whether they are violating the neutrality such status requires.
Adding to the growing scrutiny, the Department of Justice itself issued a new policy in April that restricts its attorneys from participating in American Bar Association (ABA) events. The move signals deep mistrust toward the ABA’s political leanings and legal activism.
“The ABA is free to litigate in support of activist causes, including by inserting itself into pending litigation as an amicus curiae,” wrote Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in a memo. “The Department of Justice must… represent all Americans regardless of ideology or political preferences.”
This week, a judge even stepped in to block the DOJ’s attempt to pull $3.2 million in grants from the ABA, further fueling the fire around the group’s controversial role in the legal landscape.
A Bigger Fight Ahead?
Martin says his work at the DOJ Weaponization Working Group may just be getting started. He’s raising questions not only about political double standards but also about whether these legal bodies should continue to operate with so much unchecked power.
“Part of it is the monopoly that bar associations maintain over the practice of law may have to change,” Martin said.
His message is clear: the legal establishment, which many believe has operated in the shadows for far too long, could finally face the kind of oversight it often claims to impose on others.
As Martin leads this investigation, conservative lawyers across the country will be watching closely—hopeful that someone is finally willing to pull back the curtain on a system that’s grown increasingly hostile to their side of the aisle.
