Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) pushed for his Republican constituents to confirm Ed Martin as District Attorney for the District of Columbia, arguing the nominee would finally “clean” the city of its rampant crime.
Martin’s confirmation has hit some speed bumps after Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said he would not support the nominee, citing his previous statements on the Capitol protest on Jan. 6, 2021. Hawley, however, argued that he believes President Donald Trump‘s pick for Washington, D.C.’s district attorney would pass a vote on the Senate floor. Hawley added that he has known Tillis “for years” and that it is vital to get “a strong U.S. attorney” to get to work on the nation’s capital.
“The district is a cesspool. It is a crime wave every single day,” Hawley said on Real America’s Voice’s War Room. “Ed knows how to clean that up, and really, I think we’re seeing more opposition to the president’s pick. No senator nominated Ed Martin. This is the president’s pick, and that’s my message to my colleagues: let’s vote on him, let’s pass him.”
Hawley detailed to host Steve Bannon the high crime levels the city has witnessed over the years, which have left even members of his staff getting shot. He added that the district ought to be the best place to visit in the nation since the city “represents what our country’s about.” Hawley added that it is “ridiculous” how U.S. citizens cannot visit the city without being worried about its crime rates.
The senator argued that the Capitol should be safer because the nation’s 250th anniversary is quickly approaching. As such, he urged his colleagues to talk to Martin about his ambitions for the city.
“Give this guy a shot. Meet with him. Talk to him about what he’s going to do in the office,” Hawley said. “Talk to the president. I think when that happens, he is going to pass the committee. I just don’t see how he doesn’t.”
HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE MAKING A TRILLION-DOLLAR MISTAKE
Hawley also expressed frustration that Trump’s massive bill to enact his agenda is moving “too slow” to the president’s desk. He said he is “hoping for July at this point,” but urged Republican lawmakers to “speed this process up” to give tax cuts to the voters who elected Trump and gave Republicans control of both the Senate and the House.
The delay has drawn the attention of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who joked Republican lawmakers “keep blowing through their own deadlines.” Last week, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) said that the bill could get to Trump sometime in August, past the July 4 deadline some are pushing.