The Senate on Wednesday voted to confirm the nomination of embattled ex-LA mayor Eric Garcetti as ambassador to India following allegations that he knew about assault allegations against his former top aide and took no action.
The final vote was 52-42.
Three Senate Democrats – Sherrod Brown, Ohio, Mark Kelly, Ariz., and Maizie Hirono, Hawaii, all broke from their party and voted against the nominee. Sens. Dianne Feinstein, California, a staunch supporter of Garcetti, and John Fetterman, Pa., were absent from the vote.
But seven Republicans voted for Garcetti’s nomination, citing how long the position had been open: Susan Collins, Maine, Todd Young, Ind., Lindsey Graham, SC, Steve Daines, Mont., Roger Marshall, Kansas, Bill Hagerty , Tenn ., and Senator Bill Cassidy, La.
Biden first nominated Garcetti to represent US interests in India as early as July 2021 and the foreign relations committee held a hearing in December 2021.
The Senate on Wednesday voted to confirm the nomination of controversial ex-LA mayor Eric Garcetti
His confirmation was held back after allegations that his former top aide Rick Jacobs sexually harassed four people and that Garcetti, aware of the claims, kept him employed.
Jacobs has denied sexually harassing anyone and Garcetti has denied knowing about the allegations or witnessing any inappropriate conduct.
Seeing their son’s political career falter, Garcetti’s parents stepped in and paid for prominent lobbyists to get senators to confirm him.
Meanwhile, Garcetti’s ex-communications director bumped into her former boss on CNN ahead of the vote.
“He is unfit to be an ambassador or hold any public office anywhere in this country or the world,” said Naomi Seligman.
His confirmation was stopped following allegations that his former top aide Rick Jacobs, above, sexually harassed four people and that Garcetti, aware of the claims, kept him employed
“Unfortunately, the White House has put undue pressure on the Democrats to vote for Eric Garcetti because Eric Garcetti has been a very, very loyal person to President Biden, and that’s unfortunate,” she told Tapper. “These senators who claim to support #MeToo can’t just do it when it’s politically expedient. They should do it when it matters, even if it’s your own political party.’
Seligman said she saw Garcetti witness his former deputy chief of staff “touching people, hugging people, kissing people.”
“We were in a work environment where sexual harassment and abuse was tolerated, enabled and ubiquitous. It was as normal as checking your texts,’ she said. “It was a very harsh, disappointing and toxic environment where Mayor Garcetti enabled, tolerated and sometimes laughed at the abuse by his top aide and confidant, Rick Jacobs.”
Jacobs stepped down from Garcetti’s staff in 2020 after a lawsuit was filed against him and the city by LAPD officer and former bodyguard to the mayor Matthew Garza alleging that Jacobs made “gross sexual comments” and touched him inappropriately. Garza claimed Garcetti witnessed the behavior.
Seligman claimed in her own statement that Jacobs repeatedly harassed her while she worked at City Hall from 2015 to 2017, according to a report from Senator Chuck Grassley’s office.
She said Jacobs’ behavior consisted of “unwelcome hugs, kisses (and) sexual remarks,” including an instance where Jacobs gave her a “prolonged kiss on the lips without her consent in front of several members of staff.”