Paul Ingrassia, President Donald Trump’s embattled nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel, announced Tuesday night that he would be dropping out of consideration for the role.
The decision came just days after a group chat leaked to Politico reportedly showed him professing to have a “Nazi streak,” using a racial slur and demanding that the U.S. government stop recognizing Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“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,” Ingrassia posted on 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!”
After seeing Ingrassia’s messages, several Republican senators said they would not vote in support of his nomination — just days before he was set to appear before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for a confirmation hearing.
Sen. James Lankford told reporters that Ingrassia should withdraw.
“I have tons of questions for him when he comes on Thursday, but I can’t imagine supporting that,” he said.
Sens. Ron Johnson and Rick Scott also said they would not support Ingrassia after the texts were made public.
“I’m not supporting him,” Scott told Politico.“I can’t imagine how anybody can be antisemitic in this country. It’s wrong.”
The publication also reported earlier this month that Ingrassia, who currently serves as the White House liaison to the Department of Homeland Security, had been investigated over allegations that he sexually harassed a lower-ranking colleague, who later revoked her complaint in fear of retaliation.
In response to the accusations, Ingrassia released a statement from his lawyer on X saying that he “did not engage in any wrongdoing.”