Ed Martin, a Trump-appointed interim US Attorney for the District of Columbia, is under scrutiny for his relationship with Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, a convicted Capitol rioter and alleged Nazi sympathizer. Martin initially denied knowing about Hale-Cusanelli's extremist views but audio evidence from his podcast contradicts this claim.
CNN's KFile reviewed Martin's podcast, revealing multiple interviews with Hale-Cusanelli where they discussed and dismissed allegations of Hale-Cusanelli's pro-Nazi views, even referencing a notorious photo of Hale-Cusanelli with a Hitler-style mustache.
Martin repeatedly referred to Hale-Cusanelli as “a great friend” and “an amazing guy” on his show, “The Pro-America Report with Ed Martin,” despite the allegations being publicly known.
Martin later issued a statement expressing regret for his praise of Hale-Cusanelli, claiming unawareness of the full extent of his actions. However, the podcast recordings directly contradict his claim of ignorance.
Martin's nomination faces significant challenges, with Democrats attempting to stall the process and seeking investigations into his past conduct. A bipartisan group of senators has submitted hundreds of questions for Martin.
Adding to the controversy, a prior CNN KFile investigation revealed that Martin failed to disclose nearly 200 media appearances, many on far-right and Russian state media outlets. Martin has since amended his paperwork but the omissions raise serious concerns.
Hale-Cusanelli was convicted of breaching the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and sentenced to four years in prison. A Navy investigation uncovered numerous instances of Hale-Cusanelli promoting racist and antisemitic views. He was released from prison in late 2023 and subsequently appeared on Martin's podcast.