Edward Paltzik e s q

AN PP 11 25

Online influencer Andrew Tate, a self-described misogynist who has millions of young male followers, was facing allegations of sex trafficking women in three countries when he and his brother left their home in Romania to visit the United States.

“The Tates will be free, Trump is the president. The good old days are back,” Tate posted on X before the trip in February — one of many times he has sung the president’s praises to his fans.

But when the Tate brothers arrived by private plane in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, they immediately found themselves in the crosshairs of law enforcement once more, as Customs and Border Protection officials seized their electronic devices.

This time, they had a powerful ally come to their aid. Behind the scenes, the White House intervened on their behalf.

Interviews and records reviewed by ProPublica show a White House official told senior Department of Homeland Security officials to return the devices to the brothers several days after they were seized. The official who delivered the message, Paul Ingrassia, is a lawyer who previously represented the Tate brothers before joining the White House, where he was working as its DHS liaison.

In his written request, a copy of which was reviewed by ProPublica, Ingrassia chided authorities for taking the action, saying the seizure of the Tates’ devices was not a good use of time or resources. The request to return the electronics to the Tates, he emphasized, was coming from the White House.

The incident is the latest in a string of law enforcement matters where the Trump White House has inserted itself to help friends and target foes. Since entering office for a second term, Trump has urged the Justice Department to go after elected officials who investigated him and his businesses, and he pardoned a string of political allies. Andrew Tate is one of the most prominent members of the so-called manosphere, a collection of influencers, podcasters and content creators who helped deliver young male voters to Trump. And news of the White House intervention on behalf of the accused sex traffickers comes as Trump is under fire over his ties to notorious child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his administration’s recent efforts to stop the public release of the so-called Epstein files.

Ingrassia’s intervention on behalf of Tate and his brother, Tristan, caused alarm among DHS officials that they could be interfering with a federal investigation if they followed through with the instruction, according to interviews and screenshots of contemporaneous communications between officials.

One official who was involved and spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid facing retribution said they were disgusted by the request’s “brazenness and the high-handed expectation of complicity.”

“It was so offensive to what we’re all here to do, to uphold the law and protect the American people,” the person said. “We don’t want to be seen as handing out favors.”

It’s unclear why law enforcement wanted to examine the devices, what their analysis found or whether Ingrassia’s intervention hindered any investigation. The White House and DHS declined to answer questions about the incident.

But law enforcement experts said it is highly unusual for the White House to get involved in particular border seizures or to demand authorities give up custody of potential evidence in an investigation.

“I’ve never heard of anything like that in my 30 years working,” said John F. Tobon, a retired assistant director for Homeland Security Investigations, which typically analyzes the contents of electronic devices after they’re seized by Customs and Border Protection. “For anyone to say this request is from the White House, it feels like an intimidation tactic.”

Tobon said that even if authorities resisted the request from Ingrassia, knowledge that the White House opposed their actions could cause them to be less aggressive than they would normally be: “Anytime somebody feels intimidated or as if they’re not free to follow procedure, that’s going to stay in the back of their mind because of the consequences. In this administration the consequences are different, people are getting fired.”

Samuel Buell, a Duke University law school professor and former federal prosecutor, called the pressure on behalf of the Tates “another data point” in the White House politicizing law enforcement.

“This is not something that would have been viewed as appropriate or acceptable prior to 2025,” Buell said. “There’s a pattern here of severe departure from preexisting norms … that are being tossed aside left and right.”

The Tate brothers’ lawyer, Joseph McBride, said he didn’t know what happened to the devices but that his clients have still not had them returned. He said it’s unclear whether any investigation into their contents is continuing.

His clients, he said, are innocent and there was no illicit materials on their electronics. “There have been multiple investigations against them and nothing has come of it,” McBride said.

Ingrassia worked at McBride’s firm before joining the White House, and McBride acknowledged speaking “to Paul from time to time” but couldn’t recall discussing the seized devices with him. Ingrassia, he said, has never given the Tates special treatment since joining the Trump administration.

The White House declined to answer questions about whether Ingrassia was acting on his own or representing the White House’s wishes.

In a brief interview with ProPublica, Ingrassia denied trying to help the Tates, before hanging up. “There was no intervention. Nothing happened,” he said. “There was nothing.”

Ingrassia’s lawyer, Edward Paltzik, said in a text message: “Mr. Ingrassia never ordered that the Tate Brothers’ devices be returned to them, nor did he say — and nor would he have ever said — that such a directive came from the White House. This story is fiction, simply not true.”

When questioned about whether Ingrassia had asked authorities to return the devices, even if he did not order them to, Paltzik declined to comment, explaining that “the word ‘ask’ is inappropriate because it is meaningless in this context. He either ordered something or he didn’t. And as I said, he did NOT order anything.”

A DHS spokesperson did not respond to specific questions about the intervention or any impact it might have had on an investigation, only saying in a statement that Customs and Border Protection “performed a 100% baggage examination and detained all electronic media devices when the Tate Brothers entered the country. Electronic media devices were detained and turned over to Homeland Security Investigators for inspectional purposes.”

Ingrassia’s work at McBride’s small New York law firm included helping to represent the Tate brothers. He has praised Andrew Tate’s “physical prowess” on social media along with his “willpower and spirit,” calling him “the embodiment of the ancient ideal of excellence.”

Ethics experts said when government officials take actions to benefit former clients, it undermines public trust.

“The rule of law cannot be carried out if it depends on cronyism,” said Virginia Canter, a former government ethics lawyer who served in the administrations of both parties. “To have a member of the White House interfere when they’ve had a prior client relationship and some sort of personal relationship, that gives rise to questions of impartiality.”

Trump had nominated Ingrassia to lead the Office of Special Counsel, but the 30-year-old lawyer’s chances for Senate confirmation imploded after Politico reported that he had sent a string of racist text messages to fellow Republicans and described himself as having “a Nazi streak.” Paltzik, his lawyer, raised doubts about the authenticity of the texts but said “even if the texts are authentic, they clearly read as self-deprecating and satirical humor.”

In a post on X announcing he was withdrawing from his Senate confirmation hearing because not enough Republican lawmakers were supporting him, Ingrassia said he would “continue to serve President Trump and this administration to Make America Great Again.”

Last week, Ingrassia announced he was moving to a new role within the administration, after Trump called him into his office and asked him to serve as deputy general counsel at the General Services Administration.

It’s unclear what prompted authorities to seize the Tates’ property, but the bar for searching electronic devices is significantly lower for those entering the U.S. compared with those already in the country, even if they are citizens.

After the seizure, the contents were examined by federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations, according to the official involved. A Homeland Security official, who asked for anonymity because they didn’t have permission to speak publicly, confirmed that HSI agents scrutinized the contents.

The Tates left the United States in late March.

No criminal charges have been filed against the brothers in the United States, though a lawyer representing four anonymous defendants sued by them in Florida filed court papers this year suggesting that federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York were investigating the pair. No other details have become public, and a spokesperson for the prosecutors’ office declined to comment.

In an interview with conservative podcaster Candace Owens soon after landing in Florida, Andrew Tate revealed his devices had been seized, saying they were taken after he refused to give customs officers his passwords.

Tate, who was born in the U.S. but spent much of his childhood in Britain before moving as an adult to Romania, complained that his rights were violated, calling himself “one of the most innocent people on the planet.”

And he said law enforcement officials wouldn’t find anything on his devices: “You think I sleep with a phone full of evidence? You think I don’t wipe my phone every night? You think I’m dumb? Come get me.”

In that interview, Tate made no mention of a White House official intervening on his behalf and seemingly misidentified state authorities in Florida as responsible for taking his devices.

Shortly after the Tates landed on Feb. 27, Gov. Ron DeSantis and state Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that Florida authorities had launched an investigation into the brothers. Uthmeier said his office had “secured and executed subpoenas and warrants” and called the brothers’ behavior “atrocious.”

“These guys have themselves publicly admitted to participating in what very much appears to be soliciting, trafficking, preying upon women around the world,” he said at the time. “We’re not going to accept it.”

The status of the Florida investigation is unclear. A spokesperson for the Florida attorney general declined to comment for this article.

Allegations of sexual abuse and violence have swirled around Andrew Tate for almost as long as he’s been in the public eye. In 2016, Tate was booted off the cast of the British version of the “Big Brother” reality series around the time a video emerged of him whipping a woman with a belt. Tate said he and the woman were joking.

Tate’s profile only rose afterward, and he began amassing a following as a self-help guru for young men. He quickly aligned himself with Trump’s then-young MAGA movement.

“The tate family support trump FULLY. MAGA!” he posted on social media after meeting with Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Tower in 2017.

Tate moved to Romania a year after his brief foray in reality TV, in part, he said, because he believed authorities there investigate sex crimes less aggressively.

“I’m not a … rapist but I like the idea of being able to do what I want,” he said.

But in 2023, prosecutors in Romania accused the Tates of operating a criminal group that trafficked women, including some who alleged the brothers led them to believe they were interested in relationships but instead forced them into filming online pornographic videos. Prosecutors also said they were investigating allegations that the Tates trafficked minors. Andrew Tate was charged with rape. The Tates have denied the allegations, and the initial charges against them were sent back to prosecutors by a court because of procedural issues.

The Tates face similar allegations in Britain. Authorities there authorized a raft of charges against the brothers, including rape and human trafficking, based on allegations from three women. In 2024, arrest warrants were issued for the brothers, who have denied wrongdoing, but authorities said they would not be extradited to the United Kingdom until criminal proceedings in Romania were completed.

A woman has also sued the Tates in Florida, accusing them of luring her to Romania to coerce her into sex work. The Tates have denied the allegations, and last month a judge dismissed most of her claims but allowed for her to refile.

This year, Tate derided the allegations against him and compared himself to Trump on X. “Romania? No case UK? No case USA? No case,” he posted on X. “Lawfare? – Im one of the most mistreated men in history beside president Trump himself.”

The intervention on behalf of the Tates was not the first time those around Trump took an interest in legal issues involving the brothers.

In February, Romania’s foreign minister said that presidential envoy Richard Grenell told him at an international security conference in Germany that he remained interested in the fate of the Tates. “I did not perceive this statement as pressure,” the foreign minister, Emil Hurezeanu, said, “just a repeat of a known stance.” Grenell told the Financial Times that he had “no substantive conversation” with Hurezeanu but supported “the Tate brothers as evident by my publicly available tweets.”

---

ABOVE THE LAW

Trump’s Lawyers Go To Iowa To Learn How To CivPro

Oops.

By Liz Dye and Andrew Torrez on July 01, 2025

Donald Trump’s lawyer Edward “Sideshow Bob” Paltzik is gonna learn him some civil procedure if he has to step on every rake in Iowa. And he might!

His adventures began in December of 2024, when he and local counsel Alan Ostergren filed a trollsuit in Polk County District Court against pollster Ann Selzer and the Des Moines Register for aggravated getting a poll wrong. The case was premised on the theory that the “poll” was actually a super-secret conspiracy by Selzer, the Des Moines Register, and the Register’s parent company Gannett to defraud Iowa “consumers” by supplying defective “merchandise” in violation of Iowa’s Consumer Fraud Act.

The Trump Gold Card: A New $1 Million Pathway To A U.S. Green Card

A new proposal would let wealthy foreign nationals secure an opportunity for a U.S. green card with a $1 million 'gift' to the government, sparking legal and ethical debate.

By James Pittman, JD, Co-Founder of 8am DocketWise

But perhaps the president’s sparklemagic counsel should have spent less time on their whizbang theory and more time hiring a process server. In the event, they only managed to serve Gannett, a Delaware company doing business in New York, which instantly filed a notice of removal, bouncing the case into the US District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. And that’s how young Eddie learned about snap removal!

But Trump’s legal team had another trick up its sleeve! On January 31, they amended the complaint adding two Iowa lawmakers, US Rep Mariannette Miller-Meeks and former state senator Bradley Zaun, as plaintiffs. The move was a transparent attempt to get the case remanded to state court by defeating diversity jurisdiction. In fact, Selzer hadn’t even polled Zaun’s race. Which is how Paltzik learned about fraudulent joinder, as well as judicial discretion. Exercising the second, Judge Rebecca Ebinger declined to find the first, but nonetheless ruled that the lawmakers were not “indispensable” parties and denied the motion for joinder. On May 23, she ordered Trump to file an amended complaint without the rando politicians in seven days.

Judge Ebinger did give the plaintiff a gift of sorts, though. Noting that snap removal hadn’t been definitively blessed by the Eighth Circuit, she certified the issue for interlocutory appeal. Trump immediately accepted the invitation and secured a brief stay until July 18 to file his amended complaint.

But time waits for no clown, and in the meantime the Iowa state legislature unanimously passed a bill to create an expedited motion for media defendants to dismiss SLAPP suits that target the freedom of the press. That bill, House File 472, was signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds on May 19 and takes effect on July 1.

By Above The Law

Had Trump filed his amended complaint on June 1, as instructed, he’d have been in the clear. But amending his complaint on July 18 would likely have subjected his garbage suit to the fee-shifting provision of the new anti-SLAPP law in the unlikely scenario that he was able to persuade the Eighth Circuit to remand him to state court.

And so, with that anti-SLAPP clock ticking, Trump’s lawyers put on their MAGA hats and hatched a clever plan to get back into state court one day before the new law was scheduled to go into effect. On Monday, they filed a notice of voluntary dismissal in federal court and simultaneously re-filed in state court. If they could just remember to serve the Iowa defendants first, they’d be home free!

Except … THEY FORGOT ABOUT THEIR APPEAL TO THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT.

Trump’s pending appeal divested the trial court of jurisdiction to dismiss his case. He needed to dismiss that appeal before voluntarily dismissing the complaint in the district court. Which he could have done, even without the defendants’ consent, so long as he did it first (and gave the court sufficient time to enter an order of dismissal).

And that’s how counselor Paltzik learned about Rule 42 of the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure!

Hours after Trump tried to nope out of his lawsuit, Gannett moved to strike the notice of dismissal as improper. Today, Judge Ebinger ordered Trump’s lawyers to respond to that motion to strike within 24 hours. Can’t wait to see what vagaries of civil procedure these geniuses learn next!

It’s difficult to imagine what they’ll say, but given that this is the team that thinks being wrong about math is a tort, they’ll undoubtedly come up with something. But for all intents and purposes, even if they win, the federal court will enter an order of dismissal dated July 2 or later. And that means the deadline for Trump to sneak into state court ahead of the new anti-SLAPP law has almost certainly come and gone.

*Liz Dye and Andrew Torrez produce the Law and Chaos Substack and podcast.

Topics:

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edward-paltzik-a0753032

# Edward (Andrew) Paltzik

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Taylor Dykema PLLC - Of Counsel - Litigator

Taylor Dykema PLLC

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Edward Andrew Paltzik earned a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2006, where he won the Scholastic Excellence Award. He earned a B.A. from Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences in 2003, where he was a history major and graduated with Distinction in All Subjects. Mr. Paltzik has represented hundreds of civil and criminal clients in a wide variety of high-stakes matters, in both State and Federal courts.

Mr. Paltzik is proud to serve as outside counsel to the Second Amendment Foundation. He focuses his practice on 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Amendment Litigation seeking to safeguard these fundamental rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, numerous other forms of constitutional and administrative litigation at both the State and Federal levels, White-Collar Criminal Defense and White-Collar Investigations, Complex Commercial Litigation, Defamation Litigation, and Employment Litigation. He has also authored numerous important amicus briefs in high-profile constitutional cases.

Mr. Paltzik has successfully tried numerous cases, including serving as the lead trial attorney in the prominent and widely reported “Buck Foston’s” First Amendment litigation in the District of New Jersey against the City of New Brunswick and its officials that resulted in a $1.535M jury verdict in favor of his has also secured many millions of dollars in settlements for a wide variety of civil clients in both the pre-litigation and litigation stages.

After serving as a Partner at Joshpe Mooney Paltzik LLP for 11 years and Of Counsel to Bochner PLLC for 2 years, both in New York City, he is currently Of Counsel to Houston-based Taylor Dykema PLLC. First admitted to practice law in 2007, Mr. Paltzik brings over 18 years of experience to his work, and is admitted to practice law in New York; New Jersey; Texas; Maine; Utah; the Supreme Court of the United States; the United States Courts of Appeals for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, D.C., and Federal Circuits; and the United States District Courts for D. Colorado, D. Columbia, D. Maine, D. Maryland, D. New Jersey, D. New Mexico, E.D. New York, N.D. New York, W.D. New York, N.D. Ohio, E.D. Texas, N.D. Texas, S.D. Texas, and D. Utah.

His work has been reported by major news sources on numerous occasions, including the Associated Press, Bloomberg, Breitbart, CBS News, CNN, Daily Mall, Daily Wire, Deadline, FOX News, Guardian, NBC News, Newsweek, New York Law Journal, New York Post, New York Times, Reason, and Variety.Edward Andrew Paltzik earned a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2006, where he won the Scholastic Excellence Award. He earned a B.A. from Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences in 2003, where he was a history major and graduated with Distinction in All Subjects.

Mr. Paltzik has represented hundreds of civil and criminal clients in a wide variety of high-stakes matters, in both State and Federal courts. Mr. Paltzik is proud to serve as outside counsel to the Second Amendment Foundation. He focuses his practice on 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Amendment Litigation seeking to safeguard these fundamental rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, numerous other forms of constitutional and administrative litigation at both the State and Federal levels, White-Collar Criminal Defense and White-Collar Investigations, Complex Commercial Litigation, Defamation Litigation, and Employment Litigation. He has also authored numerous important amicus briefs in high-profile constitutional cases.

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Litigation • Criminal Defense • 1st Amendment Litigation • 2nd Amendment Litigation • Constitutional LawLitigation • Criminal Defense • 1st Amendment Litigation • 2nd Amendment Litigation • Constitutional Law

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Edward PaltzikEdward Paltzik • 3rd+Premium • 3rd+Taylor Dykema PLLC - Of Counsel - LitigatorTaylor Dykema PLLC - Of Counsel - Litigator4d • 4 days ago • Visible to anyone on or off LinkedIn

Thank you to my friends at STU Law! Two words: grateful and excited.

St. Thomas University College of LawSt. Thomas University College of Law8,582 followers8,582 followers

[We are pleased to welcome Edward Paltzik, who will be joining STU College of Law as an Adjunct Professor of Law for the Spring 2026 semester, where he will teach White Collar Crime.

Mr. Paltzik is Of Counsel at Taylor Dykema PLLC. He has represented hundreds of civil and criminal clients in a wide variety of high-stakes matters, in both State and Federal courts. He is well known for his aggressive yet analytical approach to litigation, his loyalty to clients, and his passion for causes that matter to him. He has also authored numerous important amicus briefs in high-profile constitutional cases.

Mr. Paltzik holds a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School and a B.A. from Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences.

[hashtag#STUMiami](https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=%23stumiami&origin=HASH_TAG_FROM_FEED) [hashtag#STULaw](https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=%23stulaw&origin=HASH_TAG_FROM_FEED)

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Edward PaltzikEdward Paltzik • 3rd+Premium • 3rd+Taylor Dykema PLLC - Of Counsel - LitigatorTaylor Dykema PLLC - Of Counsel - Litigator1w • Edited • 1 week ago • Edited • Visible to anyone on or off LinkedIn

[Thank you [Sarah Spira](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-spira-1648252a2/)! This marks the successful culmination of your vision--and we were proud to execute on that vision in federal court. A year ago, very few people believed this type of drastic change was possible, but Sarah, you believed, and we believed in you. This case shows that we should never accept governmental conduct that is legally wrong just because it's "business as usual." By demanding better, we made sure that vision became reality, as the City of New York Department of Housing Preservation and Development's ban on lead-based paint chip sample retesting will be no more, come January. This is a big victory for fairness, science, and property rights. Thank you to my brilliant colleagues [Avery Horovitz](https://www.linkedin.com/in/avery-horovitz/) and [Meredith Lloyd, Esq.](https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-lloyd-esq-70b86073/) for standing with us on a case that was the farthest thing from a slam dunk.

The New Rule can be found here at pp. 19-20:

https://lnkd.in/eEeKfP8b

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Sarah SpiraSarah Spira • 3rd+Premium • 3rd+Founder at Sarah Spira EnviroFounder at Sarah Spira Enviro

[As it turns out, you can fight City Hall.

HPD’s retesting ban ends this January, landlords will finally be able to challenge lead abatement violations on metal and ceramic surfaces.

Fire doors, radiators, and bathroom walls can finally stop living in fear.

Thank you [Edward Paltzik](https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-paltzik-a0753032/) [Meredith Lloyd, Esq.](https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-lloyd-esq-70b86073/) [Avery Horovitz](https://www.linkedin.com/in/avery-horovitz/)

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Of Counsel

Of CounselOf Counsel Taylor Dykema PLLC · Full-timeTaylor Dykema PLLC · Full-timeJun 2025 - Present · 6 mosJun 2025 to Present · 6 mosHouston, Texas, United StatesHouston, Texas, United States

Outside CounselOutside Counsel Second Amendment Foundation · FreelanceSecond Amendment Foundation · FreelanceAug 2023 - Present · 2 yrs 4 mosAug 2023 to Present · 2 yrs 4 mosUnited StatesUnited States

Of CounselOf Counsel Bochner PLLC · Full-timeBochner PLLC · Full-timeOct 2022 - Jun 2025 · 2 yrs 9 mosOct 2022 to Jun 2025 · 2 yrs 9 mosNew York, New York, United States · HybridNew York, New York, United States · Hybrid

- - **1st Amendment Litigation, 2nd Amendment Litigation and +1 skill

Litigation DirectorLitigation Director National Constitutional Law Union · FreelanceNational Constitutional Law Union · FreelanceJul 2023 - Dec 2024 · 1 yr 6 mosJul 2023 to Dec 2024 · 1 yr 6 mosNew York, New York, United States · HybridNew York, New York, United States · Hybrid

Partner

PartnerPartner Joshpe Mooney Paltzik LLP · Full-timeJoshpe Mooney Paltzik LLP · Full-timeJan 2011 - Aug 2022 · 11 yrs 8 mosJan 2011 to Aug 2022 · 11 yrs 8 mosNew York, New York · HybridNew York, New York · Hybrid

- - **White-Collar Criminal Defense & Investigations, Constitutional Litigation and +1 skill

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Vanderbilt University Law SchoolVanderbilt University Law School Doctor of Law (J.D.), LawDoctor of Law (J.D.), Law2003 - 20062003 - 2006

- Scholastic Excellence Award for top grade in "Litigating the Capital Punishment Case"Scholastic Excellence Award for top grade in "Litigating the Capital Punishment Case"
Cornell University College of Arts & Sciences

Cornell University College of Arts & SciencesCornell University College of Arts & Sciences B.A., HistoryB.A., History1999 - 20031999 - 2003

- Distinction in All Subjects, 3 Times Dean's ListDistinction in All Subjects, 3 Times Dean's List

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Personal Injury LawPersonal Injury Law

Partner at Joshpe Mooney Paltzik LLPPartner at Joshpe Mooney Paltzik LLP

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WASHINGTON (TNND) — Paul Ingrassia, PresidentDonald Trump's failed pick to lead the Office of Special Counsel, filed a $150 million lawsuit against Politico and reporter Daniel Lippman over an article which rehashed a retracted sexual harassment complaint filed against him.

On Monday evening, Ingrassia shared a press release announcing the lawsuit on social media. His lawyer Edward Andrew Paltzik named the October 9 article "Key Trump nominee accused of sexual harassment" written by Lippman as defaming the 31-year-old lawyer, who currently serves as Trump's liaison to theDepartment of Homeland Security.

"Paul has never sexually harassed anyone — full stop," Paltzik wrote.

"This is a historic first step on Paul's road to complete vindication. Although the last two weeks have been extraordinary difficult for Paul and his family, he has displayed incredible composure under fire, even as he faced challenges including the derailment of his nomination and death threats."

IFrame Content

Ingrassia withdrew his nomination last week, following the publication of a separate Politico article on October 20, which revealed alleged texts sent from Ingrassia in a group chat. In one of the messages, Ingrassia allegedly wrote that he had a "Nazi streak," allegedly called for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Juneteenth, Kwanzaa, and Black History Month to be "eviscerated," and allegedly wrote that one could "Never trust a chinaman or Indian." Politico did not share the full context of the nature of the conversation that these alleged messages were sent.

“Looks like these texts could be manipulated or are being provided with material context omitted. However, arguendo, even if the texts are authentic, they clearly read as self-deprecating and satirical humor making fun of the fact that liberals outlandishly and routinely call MAGA supporters ‘Nazis,’” Ingrassia's lawyer wrote in a statement to Politico.

Ingrassia nor Paltzik have verified that these text messages were real.

“In this age of AI, authentication of allegedly leaked messages, which could be outright falsehoods, doctored, or manipulated, or lacking critical context, is extremely difficult,” Paltzik continuned. “What is certain, though, is that there are individuals who cloak themselves in anonymity while executing their underhanded personal agendas to harm Mr. Ingrassia at all costs. We do not concede the authenticity of any of these purported messages.”

After the article detailing Ingrassia's alleged text exchange was published, Senator Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said he hoped that the White House would withdraw its nomination of Ingrassia, saying that he didn't have the votes to be confirmed.

The National News Desk reached out to POLITICO and Daniel Lippman for comment.

---

GGL 11 25

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Paltzik is proud to serve a outside counsel to the Second Amendment Foundation. He focuses his practice on 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Amendment Litigation ...

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Edward Andrew Paltzik earned a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2006, where he won the Scholastic Excellence Award. He earned a B.A. from ...

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[### Edward Paltzik - Lawyer in Houston, TX

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Mr. Paltzik has represented hundreds of civil and criminal clients in a wide variety of high-stakes matters, in both State and Federal courts.

4.8(8) · Price range: $ 350-750 per hour

[### Edward Andrew Paltzik - Lawyer Directory

Justia Connect

https://lawyers.justia.com › ... › New York City](https://lawyers.justia.com/lawyer/edward-andrew-paltzik-1318292)

New York City, New York attorney Edward Andrew Paltzik. Research legal experience, education, jurisdictions and contact information on Justia.

[### Edward Andrew Ed Paltzik - Attorney - Experience.com

Experience.com

https://www.experience.com › Legal](https://www.experience.com/reviews/edward-19513932)

Edward Andrew Paltzik earned a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School in 2006, where he won the Scholastic Excellence Award. He earned a B.A. from ...

[### STU College of Law Welcomes Renowned Expert in White ...

Instagram · stthomaslaw

10+ likes · 5 days ago](https://www.instagram.com/p/DRAKjWTAaVn/)

Mr. Paltzik is Of Counsel at Taylor Dykema PLLC. He has represented hundreds of civil and criminal clients in a wide variety of high-stakes ...

[### Mr. Edward Andrew Paltzik Profile | Garden City, NY Lawyer

Martindale-Hubbell

https://www.martindale.com › New York › Garden City](https://www.martindale.com/attorney/edward-andrew-paltzik-33564077/)

Mr. Edward Andrew Paltzik is an attorney serving Garden City, NY. Find contact information, experience, peer reviews, directions, and more at ...

[### Trump's Lawyers Go To Iowa To Learn How To CivPro Above the Law

https://abovethelaw.com › 2025/07 › trumps-lawyers-go-...](https://abovethelaw.com/2025/07/trumps-lawyers-go-to-iowa-to-learn-how-to-civpro/)

Jul 1, 2025 — Donald Trump's lawyer Edward “Sideshow Bob” Paltzik is gonna learn him some civil procedure if he has to step on every rake in Iowa.

[### Trump's failed nominee sues Politico for $150M over ...

WOAI

https://news4sanantonio.com › news › nation-world](https://news4sanantonio.com/news/nation-world/trumps-failed-nominee-sues-politico-for-150m-over-defamation-in-harassment-claim)

Oct 28, 2025 — On Monday evening, Ingrassia shared a press release announcing the lawsuit on social media. His lawyer Edward Andrew Paltzik named the ...

[### Trump's failed nominee sues Politico for $150M over ...

KFOX

https://kfoxtv.com › news › nation-world](https://kfoxtv.com/news/nation-world/trumps-failed-nominee-sues-politico-for-150m-over-defamation-in-harassment-claim)

Oct 28, 2025 — On Monday evening, Ingrassia shared a press release announcing the lawsuit on social media. His lawyer Edward Andrew Paltzik named the ...

[

[### Trump's failed nominee sues Politico for $150M over ...

KUTV

https://kutv.com › news › nation-world](https://kutv.com/news/nation-world/trumps-failed-nominee-sues-politico-for-150m-over-defamation-in-harassment-claim)

Oct 28, 2025 — On Monday evening, Ingrassia shared a press release announcing the lawsuit on social media. His lawyer Edward Andrew Paltzik named the ...

[### Trump pick for whistleblower office texted he has 'Nazi ...

Reuters

https://www.reuters.com › world › trump-pick-whistlebl...](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-pick-whistleblower-office-texted-he-has-nazi-streak-politico-reports-2025-10-20/)

Oct 20, 2025 — A lawyer for Ingrassia, Edward Andrew Paltzik, told Politico that the messages could have been manipulated or doctored to damage Ingrassia's ...

[### Edward Andrew 'Ed' Paltzik - Attorney in Texas

My Texas Defense Lawyer

https://mytexasdefenselawyer.com › attorney-profiles › e...](https://mytexasdefenselawyer.com/attorney-profiles/edward-paltzik-24140402)

Full Name: Edward Andrew 'Ed' Paltzik ; Law Firm: Taylor Dykema PLLC ; Practice Areas: Business, Criminal, Litigation: Commercial, Appellate: Civil, Appellate: ...

[### How AI will change political scandals

Politico

https://www.politico.com › politico-nightly › 2025/10/22](https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2025/10/22/how-ai-will-change-political-scandals-00619156)

Oct 22, 2025 — “Looks like these texts could be manipulated or are being provided with material context omitted,” his lawyer Edward Andrew Paltzik initially ...

[### Trump's failed nominee sues Politico for $150M over ...

WCIV

https://abcnews4.com › news › nation-world](https://abcnews4.com/news/nation-world/trumps-failed-nominee-sues-politico-for-150m-over-defamation-in-harassment-claim)

Oct 28, 2025 — His lawyer Edward Andrew Paltzik named the October 9 article "Key Trump nominee accused of sexual harassment" written by Lippman as defaming the ...

[### Trump Threatens New York Times, Penguin Random ...

Columbia Journalism Review

https://www.cjr.org › the_trump_reader › trump-threate...](https://www.cjr.org/the_trump_reader/trump-threatens-new-york-times-penguin-random-house-critical-coverage.php)

Nov 14, 2024 — The letter is signed by the president-elect's lawyer Edward Andrew Paltzik, who is—according to one online biography—based in Palm Beach, near ...

[### Trump's failed nominee sues Politico for $150M over ...

WZTV

https://fox17.com › news › nation-world](https://fox17.com/news/nation-world/trumps-failed-nominee-sues-politico-for-150m-over-defamation-in-harassment-claim)

Oct 28, 2025 — His lawyer Edward Andrew Paltzik named the October 9 article "Key Trump nominee accused of sexual harassment" written by Lippman as defaming the ...

[### Paul Ingrassia has now released a letter from his attorney ...

X · TomDreisbach

5 likes · 1 month ago](https://x.com/TomDreisbach/status/1976751956572966922)

Paul Ingrassia has now released a letter from his attorney Edward Paltzik threatening to sue Politico over this story.

Missing: lawyer ‎| Show results with: lawyer

[### Trump's failed nominee sues Politico for $150M over ...

WPDE

https://wpde.com › news › nation-world](https://wpde.com/news/nation-world/trumps-failed-nominee-sues-politico-for-150m-over-defamation-in-harassment-claim)

Oct 28, 2025 — On Monday evening, Ingrassia shared a press release announcing the lawsuit on social media. His lawyer Edward Andrew Paltzik named the ...

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