‘Nazi streak’: Donald Trump nominee pulls out of Senate vote after getting totally roasted by his own GOP

Paul Ingrassia, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Office of Special Counsel, has officially withdrawn his name from consideration. This was after it became incredibly clear that his confirmation was going to crash and burn thanks to opposition from his own party.

The right-wing lawyer, who was scheduled for a Senate confirmation hearing this week, posted the news himself in a social media message, stating he was withdrawing because he “unfortunately do[es] not have enough Republican votes at this time.” To be fair, that’s putting it mildly. The writing was all over the wall after an avalanche of truly ridiculous comments (including a self-professed “Nazi streak”) were unearthed, leading prominent GOP senators to publicly say they simply wouldn’t vote for him.

The main reason Ingrassia’s nomination was doomed was because many outlets like MSNBC were detailing a series of private text messages he sent in a group chat with other Republicans. Well, Ingrassia himself was the one who admitted to having a serious problem. In one exchange, he wrote, “I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time, I will admit it.” Honestly, I can’t believe a White House liaison would even put that in writing, let alone have it leaked.

Trump’s pick was more of a racist than his other goons

On the other hand, the “Nazi streak” comment was just the start of his radicalism. His history of outrageous claims is extensive. Ingrassia, who was being nominated to lead the agency that handles federal whistleblower complaints and enforces the Hatch Act, also went after civil rights leaders. He called the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday an abomination, saying it “should be ended and tossed into the seventh circle of hell where it belongs.”

He didn’t stop there, also calling for all Black commemorative holidays, like Black History Month and Juneteenth, to be “eviscerated.” He also threw in a stunningly racist comment directed at former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, writing, “Never trust a chinaman or Indian. NEVER.”

You can see why a guy like this, who also openly wrote, “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,” was never going to make it through a confirmation vote, even in a Republican-controlled Senate.

The reaction from the Senate GOP was swift and decisive. It feels like night and day compared to how obediently the Senate usually rubber-stamps Trump’s picks. This time around, they cracked down hard on the nominee who was supportive of January 6. Senate Majority Leader John Thune didn’t mince words, flat out telling reporters that Ingrassia was “not going to pass” and publicly urging the White House to pull the nomination. Other Republicans, including some of Trump’s stalwart allies, were quick to distance themselves.

Florida Senator Rick Scott emphatically stated, “I’m not supporting him,” adding, “I can’t imagine how anybody can be antisemitic in this country. It’s wrong.” Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson echoed the sentiment, stating, “I’m a no. It never should have gotten this far. They ought to pull the nomination.” When you lose that many key votes, especially from folks who usually tow the line, your nomination is officially toast.