Paul Ingrassia’s racist text messages cost him a Senate-confirmed job, but not his White House one.
The 30-year-old Trump loyalist withdrew his nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel this week after Politico revealed a string of vile group-chat messages in which he used racial slurs, bragged about having a “Nazi streak,” and said Martin Luther King Jr. Day should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell.”
But despite the uproar, Ingrassia still holds a federal post as the White House liaison to the Department of Homeland Security.
Ingrassia, whose own mother reportedly battled hard to help him get the hearing, announced on X and Truth Social that he was pulling out of Thursday’s Senate grilling “because unfortunately I do not have enough Republican votes at this time.”
He left open the door to a future nomination, but a White House official told reporters flatly: “He’s no longer being nominated.”
Even top Senate Republicans, including Majority Leader John Thune, came out against his nomination as soon as it looked dead in the water, following the expose about the vile messages. Other GOP figures, including Florida Republican Rick Scott, also told reporters that they would not support Ingrassia.
The administration hasn’t said why Ingrassia remains on staff, but the Daily Beast has asked for answers. His continued employment highlights the line Senate Republicans were unwilling to cross—and, perhaps, the one the Trump White House still is.
The New York Times noted that Ingrassia’s continued employment in the executive branch illustrates how antisemitic and hateful rhetoric has been normalized and excused by some in power.
In the leaked group chat, Ingrassia allegedly wrote, “Blacks behave that way because that’s their natural state… You can’t change them,” and, “Proof: all of Africa is a s–thole, and will always be that way.”
In a statement to the Daily Beast, his lawyer, Edward Andrew Paltzik, questioned the authenticity of the texts. “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,’” Paltzik said.
“In reality, Mr. Ingrassia has incredible support from the Jewish community because Jews know that Mr. Ingrassia is the furthest thing from a Nazi.”
He added, “In this age of AI, authentication of allegedly leaked messages, which could be outright falsehoods, doctored, or manipulated, or lacking critical context, is extremely difficult.”
NOTUS reported that Ingrassia’s mother, Donna Gallo Ingrassia, personally visited the offices of Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia to lobby on his behalf before the nomination collapsed.
If he had been confirmed by the Senate, Ingrassia would have been responsible for protecting federal whistleblowers and enforcing civil service laws.
Earlier this year, he also reportedly faced questions over a sexual harassment complaint. Politico, which has proven to be a thorn in his side, reported earlier this month that the embattled watchdog chief allegedly pulled a creepy trick in a bid to share a hotel room with a female colleague in Orlando, Florida.
When the lower-ranking colleague found out she didn’t have a room at the Ritz-Carlton hotel, Ingrassia reportedly swooped in to offer her a place to rest her head. However, three administration officials with knowledge of the event told the outlet that Ingrassia had canceled her room reservation so that they would be in the same room. His lawyer denies this.
She stayed, albeit in a separate bed, to avoid a scene, but later filed a complaint with human resources, three officials said. Days later, it was retracted due to the potential for retaliation.
“Mr. Ingrassia has never harassed any coworkers—female or otherwise, sexually or otherwise—in connection with any employment,” Edward Paltzik said.
According to Politico, the “fallout from the incident has been the talk of the upper echelons of DHS ever since.”
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