A Senate panel punted its consideration of Paul Ingrassia amid considerations about the controversial nominee to steer the Workplace of Particular Counsel.
Ingrassia was slated for a affirmation listening to Thursday earlier than the Senate Homeland Safety and Authorities Affairs Committee (HSGAC), however his title was quietly faraway from the agenda.
Ingrassia, a former podcast host, has made a sequence of controversial remarks praising right-wing figures and the occasions of Jan. 6, 2021.
“I’m relieved to see that Paul Ingrassia, the nominee to run the Office of Special Counsel, has been pulled from today’s hearing. The Office of Special Counsel is an independent, nonpartisan agency that investigates allegations of prohibited personnel practices involving federal employees, including whistleblower retaliation,” mentioned Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the highest Democrat on the committee, throughout his opening remarks.
“Mr. Ingrassia is unqualified for the position, both in terms of legal experience and given his long record of bigoted statements. And I urge the administration to formally withdraw his nomination.”
A White Home official mentioned they don’t plan to take action.
“Paul Ingrassia is still the nominee and is currently serving in his role as White House Liaison to the Department of Homeland Security. He will spend the next month speaking with Senators and we expect him to be swiftly confirmed. The President has full confidence in him and his ability to lead the Office of Special Counsel,” an administration official advised The Hill.
In 2020, Ingrassia mentioned it was “time for @realDonaldTrump to declare martial law and secure his re-election.”
He additionally mentioned in December that President Trump ought to “offer reparations to the tune of $1 million per family (at least)” for Jan. 6 defendants.
These remarks run afoul of a pledge by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who mentioned he plans to oppose any Trump nominee that expressed help for Jan. 6.
“The guy’s got the exact wrong rap sheet to get my support,” Tillis advised The Washington Examiner.
“It’s January 6th, it’s a number of other things. So, I think he’s one of these people that’s checked all the boxes and they’re all the wrong boxes,” he advised NBC Information.
“It’s pretty apparent to me he’s not ready for prime time, but he’s young, he’s got plenty of time to learn,” Tillis mentioned.
Ingrassia is a former author for the Each day Caller who graduated from legislation faculty in 2021.
Past his feedback on Jan. 6, Ingrassia served on the authorized crew representing self-described misogynist Andrew Tate, describing him because the “embodiment of the ancient ideal of excellence” for his “sheer physical prowess” and being “sharp as a tack” and filled with “willpower and spirit.”
Tate has been charged with human trafficking in Romania in addition to rape in the UK.
Ingrassia has additionally pushed for Nick Fuentes, a far-right activist who has espoused white supremacist and antisemitic views, to be reinstated to the social platform X, calling it a First Modification problem in a Substack put up.
The function of particular counsel serves many functions. It’s an workplace the place whistleblowers can file complaints and federal employees can go for assist in the event that they really feel they’ve been wrongfully terminated. It additionally investigates violations of Hatch Act prohibitions on electioneering.
Trump fired prior particular counsel Hampton Dellinger regardless of his being confirmed to a five-year time period after being nominated by former President Biden.
Throughout his temporary time below the Trump administration, Dellinger challenged the widespread firings of probationary employees employed or promoted throughout the final 12 months or two.
Dellinger launched a authorized problem to stay in his put up and was briefly reinstalled by the courts, however he resigned from the function when an appeals court docket decided he couldn’t keep on the job because the case continued.
