(WASHINGTON) — Ed Martin, a top DOJ official and director of the Justice Department’s Weaponization Working Group, on Wednesday withdrew his request to an attorney for a retired FBI agent who was among the first to respond to the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School that suggested the agent could be under criminal investigation for testifying at the defamation trial of conspiracy theorist and Infowars host Alex Jones.

Martin’s decision to retract his letter came after an admonishment from the Justice Department’s No. 2 official, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, a person familiar with the matter told ABC News. Blanche ordered Martin to rescind his letter to Mattei on Wednesday following growing backlash after Jones made it public on his X account Tuesday.

“Dear Sir,”

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