The Washington D.C. Office of Disciplinary Counsel has filed ethics charges against Justice Department pardon attorney Ed Martin over a threatening letter he sent to Georgetown University Law Center regarding its diversity, equity and inclusion policies.

The charges stem from a letter Martin sent last year to the law school threatening legal action if Georgetown did not end its DEI programs. The Office of Disciplinary Counsel, which oversees attorney misconduct in the District of Columbia, filed the formal charges on Tuesday.

According to the filing, Martin repeatedly attempted to avoid disciplinary action by evading correspondence from the Office of Disciplinary Counsel and seeking outside intervention to halt the proceedings against him.

Martin serves as the U.S. Pardon Attorney, a position within the Department of Justice that handles presidential clemency matters including pardons and commutations of sentences. The role involves reviewing and making recommendations on clemency applications submitted to the president.

The ethics charges represent the latest development in the disciplinary case against Martin, which centers on his communications with Georgetown University Law Center about the institution's diversity and inclusion initiatives.