FROM THE HILL: Democrats in Congress called on President Trump to withdraw his nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) after a new report exposed text messages in which the nominee purportedly denounced the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and admitted to having a “Nazi streak in me from time to time.”
Rep. Bennie Thompson (Miss.) and Rep. Robert Garcia (Calif.) — the top Democrats on the House Homeland Security Committee and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, respectively — wrote a letter to the president on Monday urging him to dismiss Paul Ingrassia from federal service and to withdraw his nomination.
The pair of high-ranking Democrats pointed to the “racist messages” reported by Politico on Monday, which included allegations about past ties between Ingrassia, a former podcast host, and white nationalist Nick Fuentes. They also pointed to past reporting indicating Ingrassia was the subject of a sexual harassment investigation at the Department of Homeland Security, where he serves as the White House liaison. The woman who filed the initial sexual harassment complaint later withdrew it, Politico reported.
“I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time, I will admit it,” Ingrassia allegedly wrote in a series of messages, according to Politico.
“Never trust a chinaman or Indian,” he allegedly wrote, in another.
“We need competent white men in positions of leadership … The founding fathers were wrong that all men are created equal … We need to reject that part of our heritage,” Ingrassia wrote a message.
In the letter to the president, Thompson and Garcia wrote
“Mr. Ingrassia’s misconduct renders his continued employment as a White House liaison to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) dangerous for women, and his proposed promotion to serve as Special Counsel demeans the office and is insulting to the American people.”
A participant in the chat leaked the messages, stating a desire for “government to be staffed with experienced people who are taken seriously.”
According to Ingrassia’s lawyer, the messages were intended to mock liberals who call Trump supporters Nazis. He said they have been manipulated to show Ingrassia in the worst possible light.
“Looks like these texts could be manipulated or are being provided with material context omitted. However, arguendo, 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,'” Edward Paltzik said.
Ingrassia’s Senate confirmation hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
Paul Ingrassia is not fit to serve in public office. President Trump must withdraw his nomination. https://t.co/uQcN4OxHDm pic.twitter.com/zxv6VNXJCh
— Oversight Dems (@OversightDems) October 20, 2025
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