Trump OSC nominee faces withdrawal after Nazi remarks leak

President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, Paul Ingrassia, saw his confirmation chances collapse this week after leaked group chat messages showed him making racist remarks and saying he “has a Nazi streak,” prompting top Senate Republicans to urge the White House to withdraw the nomination ahead of a scheduled confirmation hearing Thursday in Washington.

The messages, circulated by multiple participants, included comments described as disparaging of Martin Luther King Jr., calls to eliminate observances tied to Black history and an exchange in which Ingrassia wrote, “I do have a Nazi streak in me from time to time, I will admit it.” Ingrassia’s lawyer said the messages “could be manipulated or are being provided with material context omitted” and argued that, if authentic, they were self-deprecating and satirical. The lawyer also raised the possibility that the excerpts had been altered or generated, and denied other allegations against his client.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune urged the White House to withdraw the nomination, saying, “He’s not going to pass.” At least three Republican senators on the Homeland Security and Governmental...