Paul J. Ingrassia, nominee to steer the Office of Special Counsel.
Source: DHS
President Donald Trump‘s nominee to go the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, Paul Ingrassia, was accused of sexual harassment, Politico reported.
Ingrassia, who’s presently the White House liaison for the Department of Homeland Security, was investigated in reference to an incident in late July wherein he advised a lower-ranking feminine colleague on a enterprise journey that she can be sharing a resort room with him, Politico reported Thursday. The outlet cited 5 unnamed administration officers.
The girl later “discovered that Ingrassia had arranged ahead of time to have her hotel room canceled so she would have to stay with him,” three officers stated, in line with Politico.
She “initially protested” the association, however relented with a view to keep away from inflicting a scene round different colleagues, Politico reported officers saying. The two slept in separate beds within the room, in line with Politico.
In a letter to Politico, a lawyer for the 30-year-old Ingrassia denied the harassment allegations.
The information outlet didn’t identify the girl, however stated that she was a Trump appointee,
“Mr. Ingrassia has never harassed any coworkers — female or otherwise, sexually or otherwise — in connection with any employment,” the lawyer, Edward Paltzik, wrote.
Paltzik stated that whereas the 2 did share a resort room on the journey, Ingrassia didn’t cancel the girl’s reservation and “no party engaged in inappropriate behavior.”
In a separate letter to CNBC, Paltzik stated Ingrassia “did not engage in any wrongdoing in connection with the matters reported.”
The girl filed a human assets grievance towards him however retracted it days later out of concern of retaliation, three officers advised Politico.
An HR investigation into Ingrassia cleared him, Paltzik and a DHS spokesperson advised Politico.
The girl advised Politico in an announcement that she “never felt uncomfortable” about Ingrassia’s habits and that she by no means made a grievance.
The White House didn’t instantly reply to CNBC’s requests for touch upon Politico’s report.
Trump nominated Ingrassia to steer the Office of Special Counsel, an unbiased company that oversees whistleblower complaints and investigates federal staff.
The nomination got here after Trump fired Hampton Dellinger, an appointee of President Joe Biden. Dellinger had reportedly opposed the layoffs of federal staff ordered by Trump’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency. Dellinger challenged his dismissal in a lawsuit however later dropped the go well with.
In his position as White House liaison, Ingrassia has pushed for the hiring of candidates on the Department of Justice who present “exceptional loyalty” to Trump, ABC News earlier reported.
Ingrassia’s possibilities of being confirmed to steer OSC appeared to falter in July, when Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., stated he would not back Trump’s pick.