"A former FBI agent who was accused of inciting rioters to kill police officers on Jan. 6, 2021, now holds a post within President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice.

The ex-agent, Jared Wise, is serving as an adviser in the DOJ’s so-called “Weaponization Working Group,” a task force Trump created to pursue political retribution while claiming to root out abuses in law enforcement.

Wise will serve as a counselor to Ed Martin, the controversial former head of the Eagle Forum and Trump’s original pick for U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. Martin, who participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection himself, now leads the Weaponization Working Group after Trump quietly pulled his nomination when it became clear that the Senate—including some Republicans—wouldn’t support him.

Martin’s past defending of insurrectionists has already raised eyebrows, but bringing Wise on board is a particularly striking move. A man once accused of encouraging an angry mob to kill police officers is now helping steer the DOJ’s effort to go after anyone who tried to hold those insurrectionists accountable.

According to a memo from Attorney General Pam Bondi, the group’s mission includes investigating “improper investigative tactics and unethical prosecutions” tied to the insurrection. But its name signals a broader and more troubling agenda: using the DOJ as a weapon against Trump’s enemies."

- Alex Samuels 2025-07-02