Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer from New York has added his voice to those urging President Trump to retract the nomination of Paul Ingrassia as special counsel. This call comes after the emergence of text messages where Ingrassia reportedly expressed having “Nazi tendencies.”
Nominated in June, Ingrassia allegedly made racist remarks in a group text with a fellow Republican operative back in 2024.
On the Senate floor Tuesday, Schumer stated, “These texts are filthy and disqualifying.” He also expressed disbelief that a nomination process could allow someone with such views to be considered.
A report from Politico indicated that Ingrassia previously told other party operatives that Martin Luther King Jr. Day “should be thrown into the seventh camp of hell” and claimed to possess “Nazi blood.” He further described Africa derogatorily and questioned the declaration by the Founding Fathers that all men are created equal, stating that “we need capable white men in leadership positions.”
In response, Ingrassia’s attorney, Edward Andrew Palczyk, asserted that Ingrassia and he “do not accept the authenticity of these purported messages,” implying that they may have been tampered with.
Schumer further remarked on Tuesday that Ingrassia “doesn’t deserve” to be confirmed and called for Trump to withdraw the nomination ahead of a meeting with Republican senators. He emphasized that Ingrassia should also be removed from his current role as White House liaison at the Department of Homeland Security and should never serve in a leadership position again within the Republican Party or government.
The Hill has sought comment from the White House regarding Schumer’s statements.
The independent Office of the Special Counsel is responsible for safeguarding government whistleblowers from retaliation.
A hearing by the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Ingrassia’s nomination is planned for Thursday. However, two Republicans on the committee, Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, indicated they would oppose Ingrassia.
Scott remarked, “I’m not going to vote for him,” while Johnson suggested that the White House should withdraw the nomination, as reported by NBC News and the Huffington Post, respectively.
Additionally, Senate Minority Leader John Thune, a Republican, conveyed that Ingrassia’s nomination “will not pass.”
Other Democratic members of Congress have also joined the call for the president to withdraw Ingrassia’s nomination.
