A Former Fox News Host, Jeanine Pirro, Is Narrowly Confirmed as U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C.
The nomination of Trump’s initial choice, Ed Martin Jr., was withdrawn after backlash over his public support of January 6 rioters.
The Senate has officially confirmed Jeanine Pirro, the combative former Fox News host, as the federal prosecutor overseeing the nation’s capital — a high-stakes appointment that comes after President Trump was forced to abandon his initial, polarizing choice of conservative firebrand Ed Martin Jr.
Ms. Pirro, a former Westchester County prosecutor and judge, secured confirmation in a razor-thin 50-45 Senate vote late Saturday. She has been serving as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia since May, stepping into the role after Mr. Trump abruptly pulled Mr. Martin’s nomination following backlash of the nominee’s support of the January 6th Capitol rioters.
Mr. Martin is currently serving as pardon attorney for the Department of Justice.
Ms. Pirro, who graduated in 1975 from Albany Law School, possesses considerable legal experience relative to Mr. Martin, who took office in January without any prior prosecutorial experience or courtroom trials under his belt. Her judicial career began in 1990 when she won election to New York’s Westchester County Court, and she later went on to serve three consecutive terms as the county’s district attorney.
“Jeanine is incredibly well qualified for this position, and is considered one of the Top District Attorneys in the History of the State of New York. She is in a class by herself,” Mr. Trump said on Truth Social in May when he first announced her appointment.
In July, Senate Judiciary Republicans fast tracked Ms. Pirro’s nomination with a unanimous committee vote after Democrats staged a dramatic walkout over another judicial nominee, Emil Bove.
Ms. Pirro, who until recently was co-host of “The Five” on Fox News, has been a longtime ally of Mr. Trump. In one of the final actions of his first term, he pardoned her husband, Albert Pirro, who was convicted of tax evasion decades earlier.
Ms. Pirro has also been named as a central figure in a defamation lawsuit against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems. The election machine and technology company accused Fox and several of its personalities, including Ms. Pirro, of disseminating unfounded claims that the firm attempted to influence the presidential race in favor of President Biden over Mr. Trump in 2020.
