The Justice Department’s Weaponization Working Group is ramping up investigations into high-profile Democrats, with Director Ed Martin confirming that criminal referrals involving Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and New York Attorney General Letitia James are under review.
At the same time, President Donald Trump suggested that controversial January 6th-related pardons issued by former President Joe Biden could soon be revoked.
Speaking on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, Martin told host Maria Bartiromo that Attorney General Pam Bondi has ordered prosecutors to fully investigate what he described as “a decade of dirty tricks” waged against Trump and his supporters.
“When Donald Trump came into office, he signed an executive order saying, go and find out how government was weaponized against the citizens,” Martin said. “Attorney General Bondi has that Department of Justice spinning like a top. A lot of it, we can’t talk about, but it’s going like crazy.”
Martin said part of the effort involves tracking the origins of the so-called “Russia hoax,” which former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard recently declassified and referred to DOJ.
He claimed the probe had already uncovered evidence that the Obama administration coordinated with media outlets in December 2016 to push the narrative.
He also confirmed the department is scrutinizing alleged false statements in mortgage paperwork linked to Schiff and James.
“Every American who has a mortgage has to follow the law,” Martin said. “If somebody did something wrong, we’re going to hold them accountable.”
While DOJ continues its investigations, Trump signaled he may act to undo clemency decisions tied to the House select committee that investigated the January 6th Capitol riot.
“They gave a pardon to the Unselect Committee, after they realized the whole situation was a hoax, and it was all their fault, including Nancy Pelosi,” Trump said this weekend. “The autopen scandals are one of the greatest of our time.”
The remark appeared to reference revelations that Biden aides used an autopen to sign off on thousands of pardons and commutations in his final months in office, raising doubts over whether the former president personally approved them.
Earlier reporting showed Biden delegated major clemency decisions to then–Vice President Kamala Harris and White House staff, who affixed his mechanical signature to warrants affecting more than 4,000 individuals.
Some documents reportedly used broad or vague language, allowing violent offenders to qualify for sentence reductions. Internal DOJ emails revealed concern among officials over whether the warrants had legal force.
A December 2024 White House memo written to Biden in simplified language praised his “historic action to grant clemency to over 1,500 Americans” and highlighted the positive press coverage generated by the move.
That action followed political backlash to Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter, according to Axios, which reported that White House officials sought to “flood the zone” by granting hundreds of additional pardons in short order.
The Trump White House Counsel has since launched its own review, with a memo recommending DOJ and Congress interview Biden staffers to determine whether the clemency actions were properly authorized.
Revoking pardons is rare in American history and would likely spark intense legal challenges, but Trump’s comments suggest his administration is considering the step, particularly for pardons connected to the January 6th committee.
