President Trump nominated Mr. Martin, a conservative Republican political operative from Missouri, to permanently run the U.S. attorney’s office in part because he has emerged as one of the most passionate defenders of Jan. 6 rioters, a small but vocal far-right group that wields outsize influence. Mr. Martin has, in turn, used his authority to help carry out Mr. Trump’s retribution campaign, threatening to investigate Democrats, academic institutions and critics of Elon Musk even while seeking to dismantle and delegitimize the Jan. 6 inquiry.
Mr. Martin’s fate was sealed on Tuesday when Senator Thom Tillis, a key Republican on the Judiciary Committee, said he would not support the nomination because of Mr. Martin’s work on behalf of the rioters. That dealt a fatal blow to his path to confirmation, leaving the committee deadlocked at 11 to 11, with all 10 Democrats on the panel opposing Mr. Martin. Republican leaders had said they would not take procedural steps to force a vote on the floor.
Mr. Martin’s fate was sealed on Tuesday when Senator Thom Tillis, a key Republican on the Judiciary Committee, said he would not support the nomination because of Mr. Martin’s work on behalf of the rioters. That dealt a fatal blow to his path to confirmation, leaving the committee deadlocked at 11 to 11, with all 10 Democrats on the panel opposing Mr. Martin. Republican leaders had said they would not take procedural steps to force a vote on the floor.