A woman has been arrested and charged with assaulting a federal official after allegedly spitting on Ed Martin Jr., the former acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, during a live television interview earlier this month.
The incident occurred on May 8, 2025, as Martin was being interviewed by Newsmax outside the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C. During the interview, a woman approached Martin, identified him by name, and spat on his left shoulder while shouting expletives. She then walked away, continuing to yell insults and identifying herself as Emily Gabriella Sommer.
Following the incident, investigators identified the suspect as 32-year-old Emily Gabriella Sommer. Court documents indicate that Sommer later posted on social media, admitting to the act and expressing pride in her actions.
Sommer was arrested and charged under 18 U.S. Code § 111, which makes it a federal offense to assault, resist, or impede certain officers or employees. The charge carries a potential penalty of up to eight years in prison.
During her initial court appearance, Sommer reportedly became agitated, leading U.S. Marshals to remove her from the courtroom. She was later released without GPS monitoring.
At the time of the incident, Martin’s nomination for the permanent position of U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia had recently been withdrawn by President Donald Trump amid bipartisan criticism. Martin faced scrutiny for his past defense of January 6 defendants and controversial public statements. Following the withdrawal, Trump nominated former judge and Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to the position.
The Department of Justice has not commented further on the incident.
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