Ed Martin, a Trump-appointed interim US Attorney for DC, is under scrutiny for his past praise of Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, a Capitol rioter and alleged Nazi sympathizer. Martin claims he was unaware of Hale-Cusanelli's extremist views, despite hosting him multiple times on his podcast where Nazi allegations were discussed. Hale-Cusanelli, convicted for his role in the January 6 Capitol breach, has been documented promoting racist and antisemitic views, which he later claimed were meant as ironic humor. Martin's nomination for the permanent role is contentious, with his failure to disclose numerous media appearances, including on far-right and Russian-state outlets, adding to the controversy. His confirmation is further complicated by Senate Democrats demanding thorough probes into his conduct and missing disclosures, while Republican Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley shows no intention of holding a confirmation hearing.

Ed Martin, nominated by Trump to be the permanent US Attorney for DC, has faced backlash for his previous support of Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, whom he described as a 'great friend' despite allegations of Nazi sympathies.

Martin's podcast recordings reveal multiple instances where he praised Hale-Cusanelli, even discussing and downplaying the infamous photo showing Hale-Cusanelli with a Hitler-style mustache, despite being aware of the Nazi allegations.

Hale-Cusanelli, who was sentenced to four years for participating in the January 6 Capitol riot, had a history of promoting racist and antisemitic views, according to a Navy investigation, though he claimed these were meant as jokes or ironic humor.

The controversy over Martin's nomination is intensified by his failure to disclose nearly 200 media appearances, including those on far-right and Russian-state channels, which he later acknowledged and apologized for.

Democrats have called for a detailed investigation into Martin's conduct and disclosures, pushing for a Senate confirmation hearing, but Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley has shown no intention of holding such a hearing.

Martin insists he was unaware of the full scope of Hale-Cusanelli's behavior, despite evidence to the contrary, and his role as acting US Attorney is set to expire soon, putting pressure on the nomination process.

Hale-Cusanelli, after serving his sentence, went on a media tour including appearances on Martin's podcast, further complicating Martin's position as his ties to Hale-Cusanelli come under intense scrutiny during the nomination process.