Imagine walking your dog, spotting a public figure on live TV, and deciding to make a spit-fueled statement that lands you in federal court.
On May 8, 2025, Emily Gabriella Sommer, a 32-year-old Washington, D.C., resident, did just that, interrupting a Newsmax broadcast to spit on then-interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin, leading to her arrest on May 22, 2025, for federal assault, New York Post reported.
The incident unfolded as Martin discussed President Trump’s withdrawal of his nomination for U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. Sommer, who was casually out with her pet, approached the live interview, identified herself on camera, and let fly a gesture of contempt that was anything but subtle.
“Who in the f— are you?” Sommer barked before confirming Martin’s identity and unleashing her disdain. Well, turns out actions have consequences, and her on-camera stunt quickly escalated from a crude protest to a legal nightmare.
“You are a disgusting man,” Sommer declared, adding a profanity-laced tirade before announcing her name for the record. Such boldness might play well in certain online circles, but it’s a risky bet when the target is a government official.
Later that day, President Trump pulled Martin’s nomination, a decision already steeped in controversy due to bipartisan concerns over Martin’s past defenses of January 6 defendants. Martin had even praised a former defendant with troubling Nazi sympathies, a detail that didn’t sit well with many on Capitol Hill.
“He’s a terrific person,” Trump said of Martin, lamenting the lack of support for his nominee. Yet, in a swift pivot, Trump appointed Martin as associate deputy attorney general and pardon attorney, showing the administration’s knack for reshuffling the deck.
Trump also tapped former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to step in as interim U.S. Attorney. Pirro wasted no time, announcing the complaint against Sommer on May 21, 2025, as one of her first moves in the role. Talk about hitting the ground running.
Sommer, meanwhile, wasn’t shy about owning her actions. Under her X moniker “lefttits,” she resurfaced on the platform after years of silence to gloat about the incident. Her posts, dripping with venom, showed zero remorse for the spit seen ‘round the internet.
“ED, that was me that spit in your face today,” Sommer crowed on X, reveling in the moment with graphic detail. Bragging about a dehydrated “white foam” attack isn’t exactly a winning PR strategy when facing federal charges.
“I only apologize that this city left me so dehydrated,” she continued in another post, mocking Martin’s attire and privilege. Such unapologetic taunts might rally a niche following, but they’re unlikely to sway a judge.
Sommer now faces a misdemeanor count of assaulting a government official, with a potential penalty of up to one year behind bars. Filed in D.C. federal court just a day before her arrest, the complaint underscores that even symbolic acts of defiance can carry real-world weight.
For Martin, the incident capped a tumultuous day, as he had already stepped away from the U.S. Attorney’s Office amid political pushback. His past comments, like justifying leniency for certain January 6 defendants as “really wronged,” didn’t help his case with critics on both sides of the aisle.
“They were people that had not hit a cop,” Martin had argued, trying to frame the issue as a matter of fairness. Yet, when your own record includes defending someone who posed as Hitler, it’s hard to win over skeptics, no matter how principled the argument.
As for Sommer, her dog-walking detour into infamy serves as a cautionary tale about the line between protest and prosecution. While some may cheer her defiance of a controversial figure, the law doesn’t care much for viral moments. In a city already tense with political divides, this spit-and-run saga reminds us that personal grievances, however passionately felt, can’t override basic respect—or legal boundaries.
