As Paul Ingrassia’s nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel languishes, it’s hard to find anyone willing to defend him in Congress.
But the Trump nominee who allegedly sent messages saying he had a “Nazi-streak” does have someone willing to go to bat for him on Capitol Hill: his mom.
Donna Gallo Ingrassia, a New York-based real estate agent, tried to confront the top Democrats on the Judiciary and Oversight Committees, Reps. Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia, respectively, and defend her son at their offices in late June, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.
The attempted confrontations followed a letter that Raskin and Garcia sent on June 26 to the leaders of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Republican Sen. Rand Paul and Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, where they expressed their “grave concern regarding President Trump’s nomination of Paul Ingrassia to lead the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.”
“Mr. Ingrassia is unfit to serve as special counsel and his nomination is insulting to the American people,” the letter reads, citing the 28-year-old’s inexperience, defense of Jan. 6 rioters and “close associations with antisemitic extremists.”
Ingrassia’s mom took issue with the letter, and four days later showed up unannounced at Raskin’s and Garcia’s personal offices.
When she arrived at Raskin’s office — which was locked during the day due to threats Raskin receives — Donna began knocking. When staff opened the doors, she said, “You may have heard of my son, Paul,” and demanded a meeting with Raskin, a source familiar with the encounter told NOTUS.
She then pressed staff about why the door was locked. Staff informed her the door was locked because of threats that Raskin receives. Donna responded, “What kind of threats?” the source told NOTUS.
She continued to press staff for a meeting with Raskin. Staff informed her that he was not in Washington, D.C., because the House was on a “district work period.”
The same day, Donna also sought out Garcia. She showed up to Garcia’s personal office and similarly demanded a meeting with the congressman, a second source familiar with the matter told NOTUS. Donna told staff that Garcia had said “disparaging things” about her son, and she wanted to make sure she “could give him a piece of my mind.”
Garcia’s staff gave her the same answer, that the congressman was not in Washington because the House was on recess, to which she responded with what the source described as a “sarcastic” comment, handed over a business card and left.
When reached for comment via text message, Donna admitted that she “visited both and requested a meeting and they never called me.”
“If dialogue is one sided and no one listens to one another, without communication, how in the world can anything be accomplished?” she added. “People hate and they do mot even know why they hate. Pride,, jealousy, wrath, greed, sloth, envy. Deadly sins. Thank you for considering my thoughts.”
She also defended her son.
“Paul is a strong, unwavering Catholic who is a staunch supporter of President Trump and his agenda,” she told NOTUS. “This is an effort to muddy and derail the best candidate for the job. Schumer is a hypocrite, phony, and against President Trump and his agenda. Schumer is largely responsible for the continued shut down of the Federal Government.”
When NOTUS followed up to ask about the House visits specifically, she continued to express support for her son.
“Paul has a lot of congressional and senatorial support,” she said. “He has tremendous support from Jewish leaders, and the Catholic community. Paul is articulate, intelligent, and wise beyond his years. He has strong family support and leads a life of faith, integrity and virtue. Very loyal.”
“Outcome : God’s will 🙏,” she sent in a separate text.
The White House declined to comment on the visits by Paul Ingrassia’s mom. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment.
Ingrassia’s confirmation hearing, currently set for Thursday, is in doubt after a number of scandals, including allegations that he sent racist and offensive text messages and was investigated for sexual harassment (he has denied all allegations).
Even Senate Majority Leader John Thune hopes the White House pulls his nomination.
“He’s not gonna pass,” Thune told reporters Monday night.
On Tuesday, Raskin sent another letter to Trump emphasizing what is now a bipartisan belief: Ingrasia’s nomination should be pulled.
“I write now to demand the obvious—what even your own Republican Senators are telling you—that you must withdraw this abysmal nomination and fire Mr. Ingrassia from the federal government, effective immediately,” Raskin said in the letter.