The office that polices attorney misconduct in Washington, D.C., has filed ethics charges against Justice Department pardon attorney Ed Martin, after Martin last year sent a threatening letter to the Georgetown University Law Center that raised questions about its diversity and inclusion policies while he was serving as interim U.S. attorney, according to court filings made public Tuesday.

In a Feb. 17 letter to the law school, Martin told university officials that a whistleblower claimed Georgetown was teaching DEI and asked about the practice. Without waiting for a response, he told the school he was imposing sanctions by instructing his office staff not to employ any students from the school as fellows, interns or employees at the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, D.C.

In filings made in the D.C. Court of Appeals’ Board on Professional Responsibility dated Friday, Disciplinary Counsel Hamilton “Phil” Fox III of the D.C. Bar alleged that Martin’s conduct as a government official violated the First and Fifth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution by making demands that the law school change what it teaches students and how it teaches them.

“Acting in his official capacity and speaking on behalf of the government, he used coercion to punish or suppress a disfavored viewpoint, the teaching and promotion of DEI,” the court filing says. “He demanded that Georgetown Law relinquish its free speech and religious rights in order to obtain a benefit, employment opportunities for its students.”

In a statement, the Justice Department accused the D.C. Bar of being a partisan organization.

“The DC bar’s attempt to target and punish those serving President Trump while refusing to investigate or act against actual ethical violations that were committed by Biden and Obama administration attorneys is a clear indication of this partisan organization’s agenda,” the statement said.

Martin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Martin’s brief tenure at the U.S. attorney’s office was riddled with controversy, in large part over his prior involvement with advocating for the rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

He started the role as President Trump took office and issued sweeping pardons to all of those who participated in the attack. He also presided over firings, demotions and violated Justice Department norms repeatedly by sending threatening letters to members of Congress and other institutions, including Georgetown.

After it became clear he could not win enough votes for confirmation in the Republican-controlled Senate, Martin was replaced as U.S. attorney by Jeanine Pirro and given other jobs at the department, including pardon attorney and chief of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s weaponization working group.

On his way out the door from the U.S. attorney’s office, he announced to his entire staff that he was under investigation by the D.C. Office of Disciplinary Counsel without elaborating on the details.

Martin has since been stripped of his title presiding over the weaponization working group, but he remains on staff at DOJ as its pardon attorney.