What the report says
According to investigative reporter Paul Sperry, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche removed Ed Martin from his role as chief of the Justice Department’s Weaponization Working Group on December 31. Sperry reports Blanche shut down the office and cleared the suite at Main Justice to make room for other files. A DOJ spokesperson says Martin remains at the department as the US Pardon Attorney. The details come from unnamed DOJ sources rather than a formal DOJ announcement.
Who is Ed Martin and why he mattered
Ed Martin was tapped by President Trump to lead the Weaponization Working Group and later named US Pardon Attorney. The working group was meant to examine allegations that federal agencies were used for political purposes. If the office had any teeth, it would have been an internal effort to hold agencies accountable. Removing its leader and closing the space sends a signal that the project is at least paused and maybe dead.
Why Todd Blanche is now in the spotlight
Blanche is a career DOJ official who reportedly registered as a Democrat through 2024. That fact, mentioned by Sperry, has been used to frame the action as partisan by some. Bureaucracies are full of people with different politics. The headline here is not a name on a voter roll. The headline is that an internal office was shut and staff and budget were reportedly denied.
Conflicting reports and missing pieces
There were earlier reports that Blanche oversaw a probe into Martin related to another investigation. Later reports said Martin was not under investigation. That kind of mixed messaging is typical when internal inquiries or personnel moves happen. It leaves room for speculation and for the media to fill in the gaps.
What to watch next
Watch for formal DOJ statements, staffing notices, or budget entries that show the Weaponization Working Group’s fate. If files were moved to another office, that will show up in records or in new assignments. For now this is a personnel shakeup reported by a journalist with internal sources. Verify and compare official records before treating it as settled fact.
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