Emily Gabriella Sommer, the D.C. activist who made headlines for spitting on former U.S. Attorney Ed Martin during a live interview, may soon find herself behind bars—not just for the assault, but for what prosecutors now say is a blatant and escalating violation of her release conditions.
Sommer was initially arrested on May 22 after ambushing Martin outside a federal courthouse, spitting on him on-camera, and shouting profanities. Despite the gravity of the offense and the involvement of federal law enforcement, she was released without bail the same day. That leniency is now under heavy scrutiny.
Federal prosecutors say Sommer has spent the weeks since her release turning her social media account into a personal soapbox for harassment, threats, and racial epithets directed at Martin. Using the alias “lefttits” on X, Sommer violated a key release condition barring her from any contact—direct or indirect—with Martin. She not only tagged him in several posts, but issued messages filled with profane abuse, racial slurs, and implied threats of mob justice via the D.C. jury pool.
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. pic.twitter.com/2Y5hj41V0l
— Rob Schmitt (@SchmittNYC) May 8, 2025
The language in her posts is as appalling as it is reckless. From referring to Martin with vile racialized slurs, to sarcastically apologizing for not spitting more because she was “too dehydrated,” Sommer has made it clear she’s not interested in remorse or even legal compliance. Her online tirades also targeted Judge Jeanine Pirro, who replaced Martin as Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney in D.C., promising that she’d “get it too.”
Now, the Department of Justice has had enough. On Thursday, Pirro filed a motion asking Judge Matthew Sharbaugh to revoke Sommer’s release entirely. Her motion cites “clear and convincing evidence” that Sommer has violated the court’s no-contact order.
By tagging Martin’s account and publicly threatening him, Pirro argues, Sommer has “demonstrated a disregard for the conditions of release set by this Court.” That’s putting it lightly.
Sommer’s conduct paints the picture of someone who not only views her assault as a political stunt but believes she’s untouchable. From kicking and spitting at Deputy U.S. Marshals during her arrest, to openly bragging about her attack, she has shown nothing resembling respect for the law, the courts, or even basic decency. Prosecutors now argue she’s “unlikely to abide by any condition or combination of conditions of release.”
And the consequences are mounting. A hearing is imminent, and Judge Sharbaugh will decide whether Sommer will remain free or be remanded into custody pending trial. Given the public nature of her violations and the brazenness of her online threats, it’s hard to imagine the court allowing her to continue her tirade unchecked.