CNN
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A former Eric Garcetti aide, who has accused the previous Los Angeles mayor of ignoring allegations of sexual harassment throughout his time in workplace, stated Monday that he’s “unfit” to develop into US ambassador to India amid his embattled nomination.
“He’s unfit to develop into an envoy or actually to carry public workplace wherever on this nation or this world,” Naomi Seligman, a former communication’s director for Garcetti, advised CNN’s Jake Tapper on “The Lead.”
CNN reported final yr that Garcetti’s preliminary nomination had confronted headwinds over considerations centered on accusations that he had ignored alleged sexual harassment and bullying. The Senate International Relations Committee authorised his nomination for a second time final week, with two Republicans voting with Democrats in favor of advancing Garcetti to the Senate ground.
Notably, a key Democratic holdout – Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York – stated she would help the nomination after expressing confidence within the evaluation of Garcetti carried out by the international relations panel.
Seligman, a self-proclaimed lifelong Democrat, stated she briefed practically a 3rd of the Senate on the alleged misconduct in Garcetti’s workplace, and known as it “devastating” to see lawmakers from her get together push on along with his nomination.
“Sadly, the White Home has put undue strain on Democrats to vote for Eric Garcetti as a result of Eric Garcetti has been a really, very loyal individual to President Biden, and that’s unlucky,” she advised Tapper. “These senators that purport to help me, too, can’t simply do it when it’s politically expedient. They must do it when it issues, even when it’s your individual political get together.”
White Home press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, when requested final week concerning the nomination, stated Garcetti is “properly certified to serve on this very important function” and urged the Senate to maneuver ahead to substantiate him.
“The president nominated him as a result of he thought he had the expertise to be the US ambassador to India,” Jean-Pierre stated.
All through the prolonged means of Senate consideration of Garcetti’s nomination, the White Home has stood steadfastly behind the previous Los Angeles mayor. Garcetti has repeatedly denied any data of the allegations and has met personally with senators in an effort to clear a path to affirmation.
The White Home didn’t have a right away touch upon Seligman’s interview.
Seligman on Monday detailed her time serving in Garcetti’s workplace, saying she was current when Garcetti witnessed his onetime deputy chief of employees and longtime political adviser “contact individuals, hug individuals, kiss individuals.”
“We have been in a piece surroundings the place sexual harassment and abuse was tolerated, enabled and ubiquitous. It was as widespread as checking your texts,” she advised Tapper. “It was a really exhausting, disappointing and poisonous surroundings the place Mayor Garcetti enabled, tolerated and at occasions laughed concerning the abuse by his prime aide and confidant, Rick Jacobs.”
Jacobs stepped down from his political work for Garcetti within the fall of 2020 – a number of months after a lawsuit was filed towards him and town by LAPD Officer and former Garcetti bodyguard Matthew Garza, who alleged Jacobs made “crude sexual remarks” and inappropriately touched him, The Los Angeles Instances reported final yr. Jacobs has beforehand denied harassing anybody and that civil lawsuit is ongoing.
Because the allegations have been being investigated, Seligman alleged in a deposition that Jacobs had repeatedly harassed her whereas she labored at Metropolis Corridor from 2015 to 2017, based on a employees report from Iowa GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley’s workplace final yr. She acknowledged that Jacobs’ conduct included “undesirable hugs, kisses (and) sexual feedback.” One incident included “a chronic kiss on the lips with out her consent in entrance of a number of employees members,” the report acknowledged.