U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) appeared on MSNBC with Larry O’Donnell and spoke about the Trump administration’s war against Harvard University — freezing billions of dollars in research grants and trying to bar the school from enrolling foreign students, actions taken ostensibly in the name of combatting antisemitism.
Raskin, who is Jewish and a graduate of Harvard and Harvard Law School, said, “If antisemitism is really the problem motivating Donald Trump, he should start with his own administration, specifically, Ed Martin, the guy he wanted to be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, who he was forced to withdraw because it turned out that he had concealed the fact that he had appeared 150 different times on Russian state propaganda networks but also because he had been actively embracing a neo-Nazi Hitler impersonator.”
Raskin added that Martin described the Hitler impersonator as a good friend, “a great man and a great leader.”
If President Trump really wants to stop antisemitism, why not start by getting rid of the antisemites in his own administration? pic.twitter.com/thlipMin6I
— Rep. Jamie Raskin (@RepRaskin) May 28, 2025
Facing resistance in getting Martin confirmed, Trump named Fox News star Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. Attorney for D.C. and named Martin as U.S. Pardon Attorney, which does not require a hearing in the Senate.
Note: One of the first presidential pardons Martin executed was for former Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins, who was convicted of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery, and sentenced in March to ten years in prison. Jenkins was convicted by a jury. After the Jenkins pardon, Martin posted the message “No MAGA left behind.”
Raskin added: “If Trump really cares about antisemitism start by purging the antisemites and neo-Nazi embracers in your own administration.”