Paul Ingrassia has pulled back his nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel after reportedly making remarks about having “Nazi tendencies,” along with other racist comments.
“I will decline the event on Thursday,” stated Ingrassia, adding that the current lack of sufficient Republican support was a concern. He mentioned that he was requesting a hearing regarding his nomination. This update was shared on the social media platform Truth Social.
Ingrassia expressed gratitude for the support he received during this process and mentioned his commitment to serve President Trump and help make the country great again.
Although Ingrassia withdrew his candidacy, the Trump administration will still need to officially rescind the nomination.
According to Politico, Ingrassia’s comments first came to light on Monday. He reportedly suggested abolishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day in a group chat and made statements like, “You can never trust the Chinese or the Indians.”
While some in the chat confronted him, he allegedly said, “I have Nazi tendencies sometimes. I admit that,” and called for the promotion of “qualified white men into leadership positions.”
On Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged President Trump to withdraw Ingrassia’s nomination. He described the comments as “foul and disqualifying,” expressing disbelief that such a person could be nominated through the White House process.
Representative Jamie Raskin also called for the withdrawal of Ingrassia’s nomination. He pointed to a report detailing that Ingrassia faced riots related to a sexual harassment complaint, alleging that he had secretly canceled a female colleague’s hotel reservation and suggested she stay with him instead.
Raskin noted that Ingrassia graduated from law school only three years ago and questioned his qualifications. He also highlighted that Ingrassia had been accused of sexual harassment and had shown support for Nick Fuentes, a known anti-Semitic and white supremacist figure, raising concerns about why he was chosen for the role.
