Former Trump administration Department of Justice official Ed Martin made alarming statements about the depth of corruption within federal law enforcement during a recent Tucker Carlson interview. Martin, who serves as Director of the Weaponization Working Group, Associate Deputy Attorney General, and Pardon Attorney, expressed particular concern about the ongoing January 6 pipe bomber investigation.
In his discussion with Carlson, Martin revealed that FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino had recently assigned new agents to investigate the pipe bomber case, though the renewed effort has only been active for approximately five weeks. Martin characterized the previous investigation as reminiscent of the “Keystone Cops,” pointing out significant oversights in basic investigative procedures.
According to Martin, investigators failed to interview key potential suspects, raising questions about whether these omissions were due to incompetence or something more concerning. “The question becomes, ‘what’s happening here?’ Is it incompetence? It feels worse than incompetence,” Martin stated during the interview.
When pressed by Carlson about the state of the Department of Justice, Martin suggested the situation was “much, much worse than people think,” though he emphasized the importance of methodically exposing facts rather than speculating about motives. He praised Bongino’s aggressive approach to addressing these issues while acknowledging that pursuing accountability requires time and careful procedure.
The discussion comes as the FBI has begun providing subpoenaed documents to House Judiciary Committee Republicans, following demands for increased transparency. Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) had previously pressed FBI Director Kash Patel for records allegedly withheld during former Director Christopher Wray’s tenure.
FBI Assistant Director Marshall Yates has started delivering documents covering several key areas, including the investigation of pipe bombs found near the Democratic and Republican National Committee
headquarters in Washington, D.C., in January 2021. The materials also address the FBI’s social media platform interactions and
investigations into threats against school officials.
Jordan’s push for transparency was initiated with a February 24 letter following Patel’s confirmation as FBI Director. The letter criticized Wray’s leadership, particularly regarding the slow progress of the pipe bomb investigation and questions about the FBI’s use of informants during the January 6 events.
Claims by some Republicans about FBI informant presence at the Capitol on January 6 were partially validated by a December 2024 inspector general report. While the report found no undercover FBI agents were present during the events, it confirmed that more than two dozen informants were at the Capitol that day.
Martin’s revelations and the ongoing investigations underscore growing concerns about transparency and accountability within federal law enforcement agencies. The former DOJ official’s statements suggest that addressing these issues requires both patience and persistent pursuit of facts, stating, “The only way forward is not to describe what I think of the motives but to expose over and over again what’s happened. If you expose what happened and the truth gets out, then accountability is possible.”
As the House Judiciary Committee continues to receive and review documents, and with new leadership at the FBI pursuing fresh leads in the pipe bomber case, these developments represent significant steps in ongoing efforts to address concerns about federal law enforcement practices and transparency.