Mr. Paul J. Ingrassia, candidate for Director of the Office of Special Counsel.
Source: DHS
Paul Ingrassia, who was nominated by President Donald Trump to head the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, has been accused of sexual harassment, Politico reported.
Ingrassia, who currently serves as the White House liaison officer for the Department of Homeland Security, is under investigation in connection with an incident in late July in which he told a lower-ranking female colleague that he would be sharing a hotel room with her on a business trip, Politico reported Thursday. The newspaper cited five anonymous government officials by name.
“The woman later learned that Mr. Ingrassia had canceled her hotel room and made advance arrangements for her to stay with him,” three officials said, according to Politico.
Politico reported that she “initially protested” the arrangement but relented to avoid a row with other colleagues. According to Politico, the two slept in separate beds in the room.
A lawyer for Ingrassia, 30, denied the harassment allegations in a letter to Politico.
The news organization did not name the woman but said she was appointed by President Trump.
“Mr. Ingrassia has never harassed any co-worker, female or otherwise, sexual or otherwise, in connection with any employment,” attorney Edward Palczyk wrote.
Palczyk said the two shared a hotel room during the trip, but Ingrassia did not cancel the woman’s reservation and “no party engaged in any inappropriate behavior.”
In a separate letter to CNBC, Palczyk said Ingrassia “did not commit any wrongdoing in connection with the matters reported.”
The woman filed a personnel complaint against him, but retracted it days later, fearing retaliation, three officials told Politico.
Palczyk and a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Politico that a personnel investigation into Ingrassia cleared him.
The woman told Politico in a statement that she “never felt uncomfortable” or complained about Ingrassia’s behavior.
The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on the Politico report.
President Trump nominated Ingrassia to head the Office of Special Counsel, an independent agency that oversees whistleblowing and investigates federal officials.
The nomination came after President Trump fired Hampton Dillinger, who was appointed by President Joe Biden. Mr. Dillinger reportedly opposed federal workforce cuts ordered by President Trump’s so-called Office of Government Efficiency. Mr. Dellinger challenged his termination in a lawsuit, but later dropped the case.
ABC News first reported that Mr. Ingrassia will serve as a White House liaison and is promoting the hiring of Justice Department nominees who show “extraordinary loyalty” to Mr. Trump.
Mr. Ingrassia’s chances of being confirmed as OSC leader appeared to be shaky in July when Republican Sen. Thom Tillis said he would not support Mr. Trump’s selection.
Read Politico’s full report here.
