On Thursday night, President Donald Trump tapped one other far-right extremist for a key put up in his administration, nominating former right-wing podcast host Paul Ingrassia to steer the U.S. Workplace of Particular Counsel.
“Paul is a highly respected attorney, writer, and Constitutional Scholar, who has done a tremendous job serving as my White House Liaison for Homeland Security,” Trump wrote on his Reality Social platform. “Paul holds degrees from both Cornell Law School and Fordham University, where he majored in Mathematics and Economics, graduating near the top of his class. Congratulations Paul!”
As of late, it appears the one strategy to land a spot in Trump’s Cupboard is to be a billionaire, an election denier, a Fox Information alum, certainly one of his private protection attorneys, or a podcaster. Simply have a look at the solid: Pete Hegseth (Fox Information), Jeanine Pirro (Fox Information), Pam Bondi (Fox Information), Dan Bongino (Fox Information and podcaster), Sean Duffy (Fox Information). Trump watches Fox and different right-wing channels like they’re a job-application reel—then provides these folks actual energy.
And when he’s not recruiting from his favourite cable channel, he’s filling high posts with sycophants who lack {qualifications} however by no means query his authority. Enter Ingrassia.
At simply 30 years previous, Ingrassia is wildly unqualified to steer an company answerable for defending federal whistleblowers and implementing the Hatch Act, a legislation designed to maintain partisan politics out of the federal workforce. Certain, he’s at the moment a White Home liaison to the Division of Homeland Safety, however working the U.S. Workplace of Particular Counsel is a special beast fully.
That workplace has already been underneath siege since Trump returned to energy. In February, he fired then-head Hampton Dellinger. Dellinger sued to maintain his job, however a federal appeals courtroom sided with the administration in March.
It’s no thriller why Trump wished Dellinger—whom former President Joe Biden appointed—gone. Throughout Trump’s first time period, the workplace investigated his aides for violating the Hatch Act and located that 13 of them had illegally used their positions to marketing campaign for his reelection. In different phrases, the workplace embarrassed Trump, and now he’s ensuring that gained’t occur once more.
Ingrassia, a far-right Trump loyalist, is simply the person for that job. And his report makes clear the place his loyalties lie.
He was a part of the authorized workforce representing Andrew Tate—the far-right influencer charged with rape and human trafficking—in a defamation case in Florida. In keeping with the BBC, Ingrassia additionally acted as Tate’s publicist and helped e book him on Tucker Carlson’s present. On social media, Ingrassia has referred to as Tate “an extraordinary human being” who supplied “a dying West some hope for renewal.” And in July 2023, Ingrassia described Tate as “the embodiment of the ancient ideal of excellence.”
That’s not all. Ingrassia can be an apologist for Nick Fuentes, an notorious white nationalist and antisemite. Ingrassia as soon as printed a Substack put up titled “Free Nick Fuentes” and wrote on X that “dissident voices” like Fuentes ought to have a spot within the conservative motion.
Ingrassia additionally co-hosted a podcast referred to as “Right on Point,” and in December 2020, certainly one of its social media accounts referred to as on Trump to “declare martial law and secure his re-election”—whereas spreading the lie that Trump gained the 2020 election.
So sure, placing somebody like him in an ethics watchdog function isn’t simply disturbing—it’s harmful.
After Trump’s put up, Ingrassia wrote on X that, as head of the workplace, he’d “make every effort to restore competence and integrity to the Executive Branch,” with a give attention to “eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse” and “revitaliz[ing]” Hatch Act enforcement.
Clearly, that’s exhausting to take critically. The Hatch Act has already been trampled by Trump and his allies, particularly throughout his first time period. Trump didn’t face penalties then, and with Ingrassia in cost, he actually gained’t now.
Trump is stacking his Cupboard with extremists and trolls. And we’ll all pay the worth.
