Paul Ingrassia, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, withdrew from his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday after losing key Republican support over leaked text messages.
Ingrassia had been scheduled to appear before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday. On Monday, when reporters asked Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) if Ingrassia should withdraw, he responded “I hope so”, adding “He’s not going to pass.” The comments were made following reports of racist messages allegedly sent by Ingrassia in a group chat.
The texts, first reported by Politico, included disparaging comments about the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and a self-described “Nazi streak.” The revelations prompted several Republican senators —including Rick Scott of Florida, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and James Lankford of Oklahoma— to oppose the nomination, effectively sinking Ingrassia’s chances.
“I will be withdrawing myself from Thursday’s HSGAC hearing… because unfortunately I do not have enough Republican votes at this time,” Ingrassia posted on Truth Social and X. “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!”
His nomination had already faced scrutiny due to his limited legal experience and a history of controversial statements. Senate Republicans, citing these concerns, delayed his confirmation hearing in July, before the leaked messages.
