Ed Martin, head of Trump's Weaponization Task Force, started criminal inquiry into FBI agent who testified in Alex Jones defamation trial

DOJ official ordered to rescind inquiry to FBI agent who sued Alex Jones: Sources​

Former FBI agent William Aldenberg was part of a defamation suit against Jones.

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.

"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 in the initial letter. "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."

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.

"Thanks to the courage of the Sandy Hook families, Infowars will soon be finished," [FBI agent's lawyer] 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."