JUST IN: Trump DOJ Charges Woman Who Spit On Top Official

Kipp JonesMay 22nd, 2025, 12:39 pm
 

Justice Department

A woman who allegedly spat on controversial former interim US Attorney Ed Martin during a live TV segment in Washington, DC, has been federally charged with assault by the Trump administration’s Justice Department.

The incident occurred on May 8 outside Trump International Hotel in Washington, minutes after President Donald Trump announced he was withdrawing Martin’s embattled nomination for US Attorney for DC.

As Martin spoke to Newsmax, a woman identified in court records as Emily Sommer approached, yelled at him, and spat directly in his face.

Sommer, 32, was arrested shortly after the incident. The DOJ on Wednesday charged her with assaulting a federal official, citing Martin’s formal nomination to a top department post.

According to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Martin was under temporary federal protection at the time due to his status as a nominee.

The charging document states:

During the interview, Suspect-1, later identified as Emily Gabriella SOMMER, approached V-1 and stated words to the effect of, “Who in the fuck are you?” V-1 turned to face SOMMER. SOMMER then said words to the effect of, “Are you Ed Martin? You are. Ed Martin.”

Next, SOMMER lunged at V-1 and spit on V-1’s left shoulder. SOMMER then walked eastbound on D Street Northwest and yelled, “You are a disgusting man. Fuck you, Ed Martin. My name is Emily Gabriella SOMMER, and you are served.”

Martin was unharmed in the encounter and continued his interview after briefly wiping his face.

The DOJ alleged in its filing that Sommer later admitted multiple times she spat on Martin while replying to his posts on X.

An account with Sommer’s name wrote, “ED, that was me that spit in your face today in front of your not USDC for D.C. Courthouse, that absolutely definitely spit in your face on camera. Hi, hello. A pleasure to hawk a dehydrated, pithy white foam spit into your face. I only apologize that this city left me so dehydrated and unable to get water that I couldn’t produce more to stain and drip down your face.”

Sommer is charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and employees of the United States and could face up to eight years in prison if convicted.

This story has been updated to reflect that the defendant’s name is Emily Sommer. An earlier version included an incorrect name.

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