Republican Senators Push Back on Paul Ingrassia’s OSC Nomination
This past summer, President Donald Trump nominated attorney and commentator Paul Ingrassia to lead the Office of Special Counsel. The pick drew immediate attention because the role demands trust and impartiality in enforcing federal ethics and whistleblower protections.
Now several Senate Republicans have signaled they will oppose the nomination, saying the messages attributed to Ingrassia disqualify him from the post. That opposition has turned confirmation into a live, contentious process.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune was blunt about the outlook, telling reporters the nominee is “not gonna pass.” The comment has set the tone for conservative skepticism around the calendar and committee work that follows.
Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott voiced a similar rejection, saying, “I’m not supporting him. I can’t imagine how anybody can be antisemitic in this country. It’s wrong.” The senator’s position underscores how quickly alarm over the messages spread among GOP ranks.
Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford said he will have “tons of questions” for Ingrassia when he testifies, but added he “can’t imagine” voting to confirm. That mix of scrutiny and reluctance is common when a nominee faces both ethical and reputational concerns.
Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson has also said he won’t back the nomination, and GOP leaders noted Ingrassia can only afford to lose three Republican votes before Vice President J.D. Vance would be called to cast a tie-breaking vote. That razor-thin margin places intense pressure on fence-sitters.
News outlets reported that Ingrassia was among a group of Young Republican leaders whose private Telegram messages were leaked to the press. Those messages quickly became the focal point for opponents demanding answers and for senators weighing whether he can serve without bias.
One message attributed to Ingrassia read, “MLK Jr. was the 1960s George Floyd and his ‘holiday’ should be ended and tossed into the seventh circle of hell where it belongs,” and another said, “No moulignon holidays.” According to the Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang, “moulignon” is an Italian racial slur for African Americans.
The leaks included a broader attack on commemorations and observances, with Ingrassia quoted as saying, “From kwanza to mlk jr day to black history month to Juneteenth. Every single one needs to be eviscerated.” Those lines helped crystallize opposition among lawmakers who viewed the remarks as beyond acceptable political provocation.
Beyond targeting holidays, Ingrassia was quoted making sweeping statements about race, with the line that African Americans “behave that way because that’s their natural state … You can’t change them.” When another Telegram user asserted that Ingrassia “belongs in the Hitler Youth with Ubergruppenfuhrer Steve Bannon,” he responded by stating, “I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time, I will admit it.”
Edward Andrew Paltzik, identified as Ingrassia’s attorney, denied that his client is a Nazi and described the messages as “self-deprecating and satirical humor” that had been taken out of context. He added, “In reality, Mr. Ingrassia has incredible support from the Jewish community because Jews know that Mr. Ingrassia is the furthest thing from a Nazi,” defending his client’s character amid growing bipartisan scrutiny.
