Ed Martin, once the U.S. Attorney for Washington DC, experienced a harsh moment when someone described as a ‘psychotic lib’ spat on him shortly after being succeeded by Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro.

On Thursday, Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw Ed Martin Jr.’s nomination for the leading federal prosecutor role in the nation’s capital. The decision came in response to bipartisan concerns regarding Martin’s limited legal background and contentious political views.

That evening, Trump confirmed Pirro’s appointment in a post on his Truth Social account, although he did not specify if she was to be considered for a permanent position.

‘I am pleased to announce that Judge Jeanine Pirro will be appointed interim United States Attorney for the District of Columbia,’ he wrote, before listing Pirro’s credentials.

Following his removal, Martin was being interviewed by Ed Henry on Newsmax when a woman described by Henry’s colleague Rob Schmitt as a ‘psychotic lib’ confronted him.

‘Who the f*** are you? You are Ed Martin,’ exclaimed somebody unseen while Martin was trying to speak to Henry. 

Martin tried to reason with her, asking: ‘How you doing?’

But it was already too late, as the woman called Martin ‘a disgusting man’ and spat on him before leaving with her dog. 

Henry, who saw Martin standing speechless, passed off the attacker as a ‘crazed leftist.’  

Fellow Newsmax host Schmitt posted the footage to social media and hoped the police would find her.

‘This afternoon acting DC US Atty Ed Martin was spit on by a psychotic lib during our interview. Hope she’s ready for a nice stretch in jail,’ he wrote.

Trump abandoned his pick to lead the nation’s largest U.S. Attorney’s office two days after a key Republican senator said he could not support Martin for the job due to his defense of rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

‘He’s a terrific person, and he wasn’t getting the support from people that I thought,’ Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about the status of Martin´s confirmation. 

Trump later added: ‘But we have somebody else that will be great,’ indicating the announcement will be made in the next two days.

Within minutes of Trump’s announcement, Martin jokingly posted a doctored image of himself on social media dressed in papal garments with the words, ‘Plot twist’ – alluding to the breaking news that a new pope has been elected to lead the Catholic Church.

Instead, the president said Martin will be tapped as an associate deputy attorney general and pardon attorney, putting him in the position of recommending pardons for a slew of defendants involved in the violent insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. 

When he returned to office in January, Trump granted sweeping pardons and commutations of all people charged with crimes in connection with the riot, or vowed to dismiss their cases.

In his new role, Martin will also be director of the ‘weaponization working group’ at the Justice Department. 

That group was created in February to investigate the work of former special counsel Jack Smith, who led two federal prosecutions of Trump that were ultimately dismissed, and other instances during the administration of former President Joe Biden that Republicans say unfairly targeted conservatives.

‘In these highly important roles, Ed will make sure we finally investigate the Weaponization of our Government under the Biden Regime, and provide much needed Justice for its victims,’ Trump wrote in a social media post Thursday evening.

On the social media platform X, Martin posted, ‘Eagle Unleashed.’

In a separate post, Trump lauded replacement and ex-‘The Five’ co-host Pirro’s status as a trailblazer for women in law enforcement and her work prosecuting domestic abusers. 

‘She excelled in all ways. In addition to her Legal career, Jeanine previously hosted her own Fox News Show, Justice with Judge Jeanine, for ten years, and is currently Co-Host of The Five, one of the Highest Rated Shows on Television,’ he added.

‘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. Congratulations Jeanine!’ 

Pirro did not appear in her regular spot on Fox’s ‘The Five’ on Thursday evening with no comment made on her absense.

‘Jeanine Pirro has been a wonderful addition to The Five over the last three years and a longtime beloved host across FOX News Media who contributed greatly to our success throughout her 14-year tenure. We wish her all the best in her new role in Washington,’ a Fox News Media spokesperson told DailyMail.com in a statement. 

A spokesperson for Martin didn´t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Born in Elmira, New York, the daughter of Lebanese American parents Pirro knew she wanted to be a lawyer from the age of six. 

The fictional TV criminal defense attorney, Perry Mason, was, she told DailyMail.com earlier this month, her inspiration.

Fresh out of Albany Law School she was appointed Westchester County’s Assistant District Attorney in 1975 and within two years had approached her boss, DA Carl Vergari, to urge him to apply for federal funding to establish a bureau specializing in domestic violence cases. 

In 1990, she was appointed the first female judge in Westchester County. She was on the bench for three years before she decided, she says, ‘I don’t belong here.’

She explains, ‘I loved being a judge, but I realized I was really a referee, and my nature is a fighter. That’s why I ran for DA.’

She smiles, ‘I was perfect as a DA. I just loved to fight. When I ran for that office, I had to do a press conference with my then husband, who was furious about it at the time. I had to convince people that I would have enough time to take care of my children, because I had little kids.

‘Now, the fact that I was running against a guy who had three kids and whose wife was pregnant with a fourth, they could care less about.’

Did that anger her? ‘It annoyed the s**t out of me,’ she says, ‘but I have the ability to channel my anger in a way where, all right, let’s make this work. You know? I’m going to make this work. I’m going to get in there and I’m going to take care of women and I’m going to take care of children. I’m going to take care of victims.’

She was elected in November 1993 and again in 1997 and 2001 before announcing, in May 2005, that she would not be seeking re-election.

Instead, she turned to politics. In August 2005 she embarked on a short-lived run at the Republican nomination to challenge Hillary Clinton in the Senate before dropping out that December.

In 2006 she ran for Attorney General but was beaten by Andrew Cuomo. The day after her defeat she got a call from Warner Brothers, she says, offering her a television show.

Her initial reaction was one of disbelief, she admits, ‘I said, ‘Why would you want me on television?’

Her daily show, ‘Judge Jeanine Pirro’ debuted in 2008 and would go onto win a daytime Emmy for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program in 2011. It was cancelled that same year by which time Pirro had already inked a deal with Fox for her hit show, ‘Justice with Judge Jeanine.’