GOP senator seeks to place hold on Garcetti nomination, citing new whistleblower claims

A high Republican senator desires to delay a Senate vote on Mayor Eric Garcetti’s nomination to grow to be ambassador to India so allegations that Garcetti ignored sexual harassment in his workplace may be investigated.

In a letter despatched Thursday by Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) to Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Grassley indicated that he had put a maintain on the Senate vote on Garcetti. Politico first reported the information of the letter.

Grassley, the rating Republican member of the Judiciary Committee, additionally mentioned in an announcement that he’s objecting to approval of Garcetti’s affirmation.

“I’ll object as a result of I’ve obtained quite a few credible allegations from a number of whistleblowers alleging that Mr. Garcetti, whereas mayor of Los Angeles, had data of sexual harassment and assaults allegedly dedicated towards a number of metropolis workers and their associates by his shut advisor, and that he ignored the misconduct,” Grassley mentioned.

Grassley mentioned “whistleblowers who’ve spoken with my workplace haven’t beforehand spoken to the International Relations Committee, and are presenting new allegations that have to be totally investigated.”

Grassley additionally referred to an investigation of the Los Angeles mayor’s workplace that “reportedly discovered no wrongdoing by the mayor or his employees. Nonetheless, data supplied by a number of whistleblowers strongly means that this investigation was incomplete at finest.”

Investigative employees for Grassley are conducting a evaluation of the allegations and are nonetheless within the fact-finding section of the probe, a Grassley aide mentioned.

Garcetti’s workplace didn’t instantly present a remark.

Garcetti advised the Senate International Relations Committee in December that he by no means witnessed misconduct alleged by a former police bodyguard who claims in a lawsuit that an advisor to the mayor sexually harassed him.

“I need to say unequivocally that I by no means witnessed, nor was it delivered to my consideration, the conduct that’s been alleged, and I additionally need to guarantee you if it had been, I might have instantly taken motion to cease that,” Garcetti mentioned throughout his testimony.

The mayor was pressed concerning the sexual harassment claims by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who requested about accusations that he did not intervene as his former aide, Rick Jacobs, allegedly harassed staffers within the mayor’s workplace. A Los Angeles police officer who served for seven years as Garcetti’s bodyguard claimed in a 2020 lawsuit that Garcetti witnessed Jacobs harass him however did nothing to cease it. Jacobs has denied the allegations.

Garcetti’s onetime chief spokeswoman filed a grievance with native, state and federal prosecutors final month, demanding that the mayor be prosecuted for perjury for repeatedly denying that he knew about one other former aide’s alleged sexual misconduct.

A nonprofit legislation agency despatched a 31-page letter on behalf of Naomi Seligman to the U.S. Division of Justice, the California lawyer normal’s workplace and Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón, accusing Garcetti of mendacity and conspiring with high staffers to cowl up a number of accusations of sexual harassment towards Jacobs.

Seligman mentioned she hopes felony prices will likely be filed towards the mayor for allegedly mendacity below oath, in a authorized deposition and in testimony to a U.S. Senate committee. She mentioned she hopes that the letter additionally may have a political affect — inflicting the U.S. Senate to dam Garcetti’s affirmation as ambassador to India.

In an announcement launched Thursday, White Home officers mentioned they have been standing by the mayor.

“Mayor Garcetti has been clear that he takes any allegations of harassment very significantly and has made clear the sort of misconduct is unacceptable in his workplace in any kind. He has additionally mentioned that he by no means witnessed this conduct nor was advised about it previous to the litigation. The president has confidence in Mayor Garcetti and believes he’ll be a wonderful consultant in India,” the White Home assertion mentioned.