CNN’s Scott Jennings Suggests Trump Fire ‘Nazi Streak’-Stricken Staffer Paul Ingrassia
CNN’s Scott Jennings suggested that the Trump White House should consider giving Paul Ingrassia, the staffer who had been nominated to lead the Office of Special Counsel and withdrew over scandalous text messages — in which he professed to have a “Nazi Steak” — the ax on Wednesday morning.
“I will be withdrawing myself from Thursday’s HSGAC hearing to lead the Office of Special Counsel because unfortunately I do not have enough Republican votes at this time. I appreciate the overwhelming support that I have received throughout the process and will continue to serve President Trump and the administration to Make America Great Again!” Ingrassia wrote in a statement announcing his withdrawal.
On Wednesday, anchor John Berman asked Jennings to weigh in on the matter of Ingrassia’s continued employment by the administration.
BERMAN: I want to shift gears to Paul Ingrassia right now, who had been nominated to lead the Office of Special Counsel. His nomination was withdrawn and he backed off it. The White House now says he will not be nominated anymore. He of course, Politico, Daniel Lippman of Politico wrote this article about how he had all these racist text messages back and forth with a number of people. So again, that nomination withdrawn, but Daniel Lippman of Politico reports he still works at the White House as a liaison to the Department of Homeland Security. How do you feel about this guy having a government job, Scott?
JENNINGS: Well, look, I think vetting and personnel is important. I did some of this when I worked for President Bush. Now, these were private text messages. These are harder things to unearth in a vetting process. So I’m not quite s-, I’m not surprised, I guess, that it wasn’t found. Look, they’re going to have to decide how much water they want to take on over one guy.
BERMAN: Should be in the White H-, should he have a White House job?
JENNINGS: I think they need to have a hard conversation with him. And I think it was wise for them to pull the nomination down. And honestly, I think it good that the Republican senators immediately signaled to the White House, like, “Listen, you know, we go out on a lot of limbs here and we carry a lot water for you, but this one’s not a necessary pail for us.”
Watch above via CNN.
