Why it matters: If enough Senate Republicans join Democrats in opposing Paul Ingrassia’s embattled nomination, it could force Trump to withdraw it or face the prospect of an embarrassing defeat.
Driving the news: Several Republicans — including Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.)
— have signaled they won’t support Ingrassia or don’t see him being confirmed, multiple outlets reported.
He is scheduled to appear Thursday before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee, which holds an 8-7 GOP majority.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), a member of the panel, told reporters Monday that he did not support Ingrassia, per The New York Times.
The nomination of President Trump to lead the Office of Special Counsel is in doubt after Politico revealed that he claimed in a text chain to fellow Republicans that he has a “Nazi streak” and that Martin Luther King Jr. “Put” the holiday into the seventh circle of hell. “.”.
Why it matters: Trump may be forced to revoke his nomination or risk an embarrassing loss if enough Senate Republicans join Democrats in opposing Paul Ingrassia’s troubled nomination.
Thursday is Ingrassia’s confirmation hearing.
Among the Republicans who are driving the news is Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S). A. — have expressed their disapproval of Ingrassia or their failure to believe he will be confirmed, according to several media sources.
He will testify Thursday before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee, which is controlled by Republicans 8–7.
Sen. Scott, Rick (R-Fla. According to The New York Times, one panelist told reporters on Monday that he did not back Ingrassia. Sene. Johnson, Ron (R-Wis. according to reports, urged the White House to revoke his nomination. He is also a member of the committee.
An inquiry from Axios was not immediately answered by the White House.
Quick refresh: Politico also revealed that Ingrassia used an Italian slur for Black people in a text exchange with six Republican influencers and operatives.
“Defending our founding isn’t ‘white nationalist,'” Ingrassia responded when a participant accused him of “coming across as a white nationalist which is beneficial to nobody.”. “”.
“We should celebrate white men and western civilization, and I will never back down from that,” he wrote later. “.”.
“Even if the texts are authentic, they clearly read as self-deprecating and satirical humor making fun of the fact that liberals outlandishly and routinely call MAGA supporters ‘Nazis,'” Ingrassia’s attorney, Edward Andrew Paltzik, declared in a statement provided to Axios. “.”.
“The Jewish community has enormous support for Ingrassia because they know that Mr. Ingrassia is the complete opposite of a Nazi,” he continued. “.”.
Indeed, but Ingrassia has connections to individuals who have advocated for bigotry and antisemitism, such as Andrew Tate, who has called himself a “misogynist.”.
He has argued that conservative politics should give Nick Fuentes and other “dissident voices” a platform.
House Democrats demanded Ingrassia’s “immediate dismissal” in a letter to the president on Monday, claiming that he is “biased and incapable of fairly and even-handedly enforcing the law.” Zoom out. “..”.
Democratic Reps. Go beyond his “total lack of qualifications.”. Thompson, Bennie (D-Miss. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) as well. cited a previous Politico article claiming that a female coworker in a lower position had accused Ingrassia of sexual harassment but later withdrawn her complaint out of concern for reprisals.
Paltzik said in a statement that Ingrassia had “never harassed any coworkers — female or otherwise, sexually or otherwise — in connection with any employment. “..”.
In summary, Hampton Dellinger, the former head of the independent watchdog agency that looks into whistleblower reports from federal employees, was fired by the administration, and Trump nominated Ingrassia for the position.
Citing his public remarks calling civil servants “parasites” and “bugmen,” the American Federation of Government Employees has cautioned that Ingrassia’s confirmation would jeopardize civil servant protections. “,”.
Learn more: Senate GOP opposition to Trump nominees is renewed.
