Trump Special Counsel Nominee Paul Ingrassia Withdraws Amid Republican Disapproval

Attorney and liaison Paul Ingrassia, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), withdrew from his confirmation hearing on Tuesday amid disapproval from fellow Republicans.

The Details: Several incendiary texts from Ingrassia were leaked on Monday, ahead of his Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) confirmation hearing that was scheduled for Thursday. Ingrassia’s lawyer, Edward Paltzik, said the messages “could be manipulated or are being provided with material context omitted” and argued that they “clearly read as self-deprecating and satirical humor.” Even so, Sen. Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) led Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI), James Lankford (R-OK), and Rick Scott (R-FL) in disapproving Ingrassia’s nomination, calling for a withdrawal. The disapproval brought Ingrassia’s support below the level expected to secure his nomination. 

Text Leaks: The alleged texts, first reported by Politico (Lean Left bias), include: “MLK Jr. was the 1960s George Floyd and his ‘holiday’ should be ended and tossed into the seventh circle of hell where it belongs,” “I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time,” and “Never trust a chinaman or Indian.” Politico similarly reported on leaked messages from “Young Republicans” leaders last week that also included incendiary and racial comments. Other controversial comments from Ingrassia were called into question earlier this year. 

Key Quotes: Ingrassia wrote on Tuesday, “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. I appreciate the overwhelming support that I have received throughout this process and will continue to serve President Trump and this administration to Make America Great Again!” He later reposted Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) assertion that “Republicans should have supported Paul.”

For Context: Trump nominated Ingrassia to lead the OSC in May. OSC is “an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency,” according to its website. Its “primary mission is to safeguard the merit system by protecting federal employees and applicants from prohibited personnel practices (PPPs), especially reprisal for whistleblowing.”

How The Media Covered It: Reuters (Center) framed Thune’s comments as “a rare sign of opposition in a Republican-controlled Senate that has shown little interest in challenging Trump’s nominees and his agenda.” However, Washington Examiner (Lean Right) noted that Ingrassia’s hearing was already delayed in July “as Senate Republicans raised concerns over his limited legal experience and history of incendiary remarks.” ABC News (Lean Left) pointed to its exclusive report in February “about how Ingrassia, in his role as White House liaison to the Department of Justice, was pushing to hire candidates at the Justice Department who exhibited what he called ‘exceptional loyalty’ to Trump.”

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