Paul Ingrassia withdrew his nomination to head the Office of Special Counsel on Tuesday after he reportedly described himself as having “Nazi tendencies” among other racist comments.
“I will isolate myself from Thursday [Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee] Hearing to lead the Office of Special Counsel because unfortunately I don’t have enough Republican votes at this time,” Ingrassia Posted on Truth Social,
“I appreciate the tremendous support I have received throughout this process and will continue to serve President Trump and this administration to make America great again!” Ingrassia wrote.
While Ingrassia withdrew from consideration for the role, the Trump administration must withdraw his nomination.
Politico initially reported the comments made by Ingrassia on Monday. In the text thread, Ingrassia reportedly called for an end to Martin Luther King Jr. Day and said you can “never trust a Chinaman or an Indian.”
Others in the group chat challenged him, to which he reportedly replied, “I have Nazi tendencies from time to time, I’ll admit it.” He also stressed the need for “competent white people in leadership positions.”
On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called on Trump to withdraw the nomination.
“These lessons are wrong and inappropriate,” Schumer said.said on Tuesday On the Senate floor. “And it’s hard to believe that there is any process in any White House that would allow such a person to be nominated.”
Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) also urged Trump to withdraw his nomination of Ingrassia. Raskin also cited a Politico report that Ingrassia was the subject of a sexual harassment complaint After allegedly secretly canceling a female co-worker’s hotel room and then telling her she would have to stay with him.
Raskin said, “We have known for months that Mr. Ingrassia lacks any relevant qualifications, having graduated from law school just three years ago.”
“We also know that he was the subject of a sexual harassment complaint in June and that he openly admires Nick Fuentes – a staunch anti-Semitic right-wing leader, Holocaust denier and white nationalist. You decided to hire and promote Mr. Ingrassia in spite of all this – or perhaps even because of it.”
