A top Justice Department official sent a letter earlier this month to the attorney for an FBI agent who was among the first to respond to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School suggesting he could be under criminal investigation for taking part in the defamation trial of conspiracy theorist and "Infowars" host Alex Jones.
Ed Martin, who holds four separate positions at DOJ including the director of the "Weaponization Working Group," sent the letter to attorney Christopher Mattei on Sep. 15 requesting information on Mattei's client, FBI Special Agent William Aldenberg.
"I am writing to request information from you regarding your client FBI Special Agent William Aldenberg and his role in certain litigation that may benefit him personally and that may impact our citizens and our legal system," Martin wrote. "As you may know, there are criminal laws protecting the citizens from actions by government employees who may be acting for personal benefit. I encourage you to review those."
InfoWars founder Alex Jones speaks to the media outside Waterbury Superior Court during his trial, Sept. 21, 2022, in Waterbury, Conn.
Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images
Alex Jones ordered to pay $965 million in Sandy Hook defamation trial
While Martin requested in his letter that Mattei "keep this correspondence confidential," adding, "I do not wish to litigate this in the media," Alex Jones posted the letter publicly on his 'X' account Tuesday afternoon, writing, "Breaking! The DOJ's Task Force On Government Weaponization Against The American People Has Launched An Investigation Into The Democrat Party / FBI Directing Illegal Law-fare Against Alex Jones And Infowars."
Jones posted a picture on Sep. 12 standing next to Martin, three days before Martin's letter was sent to Mattei.
Jones was previously ordered to pay Aldenberg $90 million stemming from the defamation suit he and families of the Sandy Hook victims brought against Jones for harassment and threats they suffered in the wake of the tragedy as a result of conspiracy theories stoked by Jones.
At trial, Aldenberg broke into tears as he described being one of the first to arrive at the scene and entering the classrooms where 20 children had been killed.
FBI agent William Aldenberg, listens to a question from Norman Pattis, attorney for Alex Jones, during the first day of Jones' Sandy Hook defamation damages trial at Waterbury Superior Court, Sept. 13, 2022, in Waterbury, Conn.
H John Voorhees III/Pool/Hearst Connecticut Media via AP
Judge rejects sale of Infowars to The Onion, Alex Jones says
Aldenberg later testified about years of threats and harassment he was forced to endure from people who bought into Jones' theories about the shooting being a staged event to strip people of their Second Amendment rights.
Popular Reads
Special election winner in Arizona could be key vote to release Epstein files Sep 24, 11:53 AM
Poop-like smell at South Carolina school leads to arrest of assistant teacher Sep 24, 5:25 AM
Overall, Jones was ordered to pay $965 million to the plaintiffs in the case, who also included relatives of the victims.
Among the questions posed by Martin to Aldenberg's attorneys was whether he revealed "any financial benefit that might accrue to him as he led litigation and recruited other plaintiffs?"
The letter also asks whether Aldenberg made clear that his testimony at Jones' trial was "in his personal capacity" and if he recused himself from any "matters in his work to protect himself and others from conflict."
Martin then requested Mattei provide a formal response by Sep. 29.
During his previous tenure as the interim U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C. before his nomination was pulled due to lack of Republican support, Martin sent a series of similar letters to high-profile Democrats and other opponents of the president suggesting he had launched similar investigations into them.
Interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin speaks during a press conference, May 13, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Craig Hudson For The Washington Post via Getty Images
In a statement to ABC News Tuesday, Mattei blasted Martin over the letter describing it as the latest step in Jones' campaign of harassment targeting Aldenberg and the Sandy Hook families.
"Thanks to the courage of the Sandy Hook families, Infowars will soon be finished," Mattei said. "In his last gasps, Jones is once again harassing them, only now with the corrupt complicity of at least one DOJ official. It’s as disgusting as it is pathetic, and we will not stand for it."
A Justice Department spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.