Paul Ingrassia withdrew his nomination on Tuesday to head the Office of Special Counsel after reports surfaced of racially charged text messages he allegedly sent. The decision came two days before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee was set to consider his confirmation.
“I will be withdrawing myself from Thursday’s HSGAC hearing to lead the Office of Special Counsel because unfortunately I do not have enough Republican votes at this time,” Ingrassia wrote on social media.
Politico reported that Ingrassia, 30, referred to having a “Nazi streak” and used an Italian racial slur while calling for the elimination of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month. Ingrassia denied the characterization, saying through his attorney that any messages were “self-deprecating and satirical humor” mocking accusations that MAGA supporters are “Nazis.”
Ingrassia previously served as a White House liaison at the Justice Department before moving to the Department of Homeland Security. President Trump nominated him in May to lead the independent agency that reviews workplace complaints from federal employees, praising him as a “highly respected attorney, writer, and Constitutional Scholar.”
In a deleted social media post after Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, Ingrassia had described the conflict as a “psyop.” Mounting criticism, including from Jewish organizations citing Ingrassia’s past statements and associations, had intensified calls for Trump to withdraw the nomination.
