A 32-year-old District of Columbia resident, Emily Gabriella Sommer, is facing charges after an altercation involving Edward R. Martin Jr., the former Interim U.S. Attorney. According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, Sommer is accused of spitting on Martin during a recorded interview, an incident occurring on the 8th of May, as reported by the Department of Justice.
The situation unfolded around 3:30 p.m., while Martin was being interviewed in front of the U.S. Attorney's Office at the 600 block of D Street Northwest. Having approached Martin, Sommer questioned his identity and spat on him, then she left the scene, pronouncing her own name and expressing her disdain for Martin. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Acting U.S. Marshal Ron Carter announced the charges against Sommer, which include one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding a government official.
While the incident was a notable personal affront against Martin, the ripple effects concern onlookers—the event provokes questions about civil discourse and the lines that shouldn't be crossed. After making contact with Martin as if answering her rhetorical question with action, Sommer swiftly exited from the site of the incident, leaving behind statements that echoed her displeasure with the former U.S. Attorney.
With a court date pending, Emily Gabriella Sommer now faces the judiciary's scrutiny, and the outcome will surely be scrutinized by those who follow the fragile dance of democracy and decorum.
