WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump ‘s pick to lead a federal watchdog agency withdrew from consideration Tuesday evening, after his offensive text messages were made public and GOP senators revolted.
Asked for comment on Ingrassia withdrawing his name from consideration, the White House said simply, “He is no longer the nominee.”
“I’m a no,” said Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, who sits on the committee that would’ve taken up Ingrassia’s nomination.
Last month, the White House announced it would be withdrawing the nomination of E.J.
In May, Trump described Ingrassia in a social media post as a “highly respected attorney, writer and Constitutional Scholar.”
WASHINGTON — Following his offensive text messages being made public and a backlash from Republican senators, President Donald Trump’s choice to head a federal watchdog agency withdrew from consideration Tuesday evening.
This week was the scheduled confirmation hearing for Paul Ingrassia, who was nominated to head the Office of Special Counsel.
Politico, however, revealed a text exchange on Monday in which he was seen saying the Martin Luther King Jr. “Put the holiday in the seventh circle of hell.”. In the conversation, Ingrassia also said that he occasionally had “a Nazi streak.”.
Several senators who are Republicans declared they would not support his nomination after the texts were made public. They comprised some of the Senate’s most conservative and steadfast Trump supporters.
Through an online message, Ingrassia stated, “I regrettably do not currently have enough Republican votes, so I will be withdrawing myself from Thursday’s HSGAC hearing to lead the Office of Special Counsel.”. “I will continue to serve President Trump and the administration to Make America Great Again!” HSGAC, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, released this statement.
The White House merely stated, “He is no longer the nominee,” in response to a question about Ingrassia removing his name from consideration. ” But Ingrassia’s post came after Senate Majority Leader John Thune had said he hoped the White House would withdraw Ingrassia’s nomination and several GOP senators said they would not support him.
Sen. from Wisconsin said, “I’m a no.”. Ron Johnson, a member of the committee that would have considered Ingrassia’s candidacy. It shouldn’t have progressed this far. “.”.
Despite fierce Democratic resistance, Republicans have managed to push through the great majority of Trump’s nominees in roll call votes. However, Republicans have occasionally retaliated, usually in the background, demonstrating that their support is limited.
The most notable of these was Matt Gaetz, who shortly after being tabbed for the position resigned as Trump’s first pick for attorney general. Trump withdrew his nomination of Ed Martin Jr. in May. to serve as the nation’s capital’s top federal prosecutor, caving in to partisan concerns regarding the conservative activist’s lackluster legal background and backing for Jan. There were six rioters.
The White House declared last month that it was pulling E’s nomination. J. . Antoni will be in charge of the Labor Statistics Bureau. A BLS director was fired after a poor jobs report, and Antoni was meant to take over.
However, Ingrassia’s withdrawal did not sit well with Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N. Y. urging the president to remove him from his current role as the Department of Homeland Security’s White House liaison.
Schumer posted on social media, saying, “This isn’t anywhere near enough,”.
Ingrassia informed the chat participants that “MLK Jr. George Floyd’s “holiday” at the end of the 1960s ought to be thrown into the seventh circle of hell, where it belongs. “.”.
According to Ingrassia’s attorney, who Politico spoke with, the text messages may have been altered or lacked necessary context. The authenticity of the texts was not confirmed by the lawyer.
Protecting government workers and whistleblowers from reprisals for disclosing misconduct is the goal of the Office of Special Counsel, an investigative and prosecutorial agency. It is also in charge of upholding the Hatch Act, which limits government employees’ ability to engage in partisan political activity.
In a social media post in May, Trump called Ingrassia a “very renowned lawyer, author, and constitutional scholar.”. “,”.
