WASHINGTON (AP) — Paul Ingrassia, nominated by President Donald Trump for the position of head of the Office of Special Counsel, has decided to step down from the nomination process. This decision follows the exposure of controversial text messages and subsequent opposition from Republican senators.
Ingrassia’s nomination was set for a hearing this week, but a report from Politico revealed text messages in which he disparaged the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and self-identified as having “a Nazi streak” on occasion.
The exposure of these messages led several Republican senators, including those usually supportive of Trump, to withdraw their backing for Ingrassia’s nomination.
In a public statement, Ingrassia announced, “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.” He expressed gratitude for the support he received and continued commitment to the Trump administration’s goals.
The White House has not issued a comment in response to Ingrassia’s withdrawal. However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune had previously expressed hope that the nomination would be rescinded.
While the Trump administration has generally succeeded in securing confirmation for its nominees despite Democratic opposition, there have been notable exceptions where Republican support has faltered. Previous instances include the withdrawal of Matt Gaetz for attorney general and Ed Martin Jr. for federal prosecutor.
Recently, the White House also withdrew E.J. Antoni’s nomination for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, following the dismissal of the previous director after an unsatisfactory jobs report.
Ingrassia’s text messages, as reported by Politico, characterized Martin Luther King Jr. as akin to “the 1960s George Floyd,” suggesting his holiday should be condemned. Ingrassia’s lawyer has suggested the texts might lack context or have been altered.
The Office of Special Counsel plays a critical role in safeguarding government employees and whistleblowers from retaliatory actions and enforces the Hatch Act, which limits political activities by government employees.
Earlier in the year, Trump praised Ingrassia as a “highly respected attorney, writer and Constitutional Scholar.”
