Overview
- Ingrassia announced he would not appear at Thursday’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, saying he lacked sufficient Republican votes.
- Politico’s leaked group‑chat messages allegedly showed him claiming a “Nazi streak” and denigrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with additional slurs and remarks about Black and Asian people.
- Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the nominee was “not going to pass,” and Republican Sens. Rick Scott, Ron Johnson and James Lankford signaled opposition on the committee.
- Ingrassia’s attorney disputed the authenticity and context of the texts, arguing they could be manipulated and characterizing them as satirical, while refusing to concede they were genuine.
- The Office of Special Counsel, which protects federal whistleblowers and enforces civil‑service rules, remains without a confirmed leader as the White House faces renewed scrutiny of its vetting.