LOS ANGELES (KNX) — A Republican senator is attempting to stall Mayor Eric Garcetti’s nomination to become ambassador to India so that he can investigate new allegations about Garcetti ignoring sexual harassment in his office.
Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter Thursday to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McMconnell (R-Ky.) suggesting he has delayed the Senate vote on Garcetti, according to Politico.
Grassley, the ranking Republican member of the Judiciary Committee, also said he is objecting to approval of Garcetti’s confirmation in a statement obtained by The Los Angeles Times.
“I will object because I have received numerous credible allegations from multiple whistleblowers alleging that Mr. Garcetti, while mayor of Los Angeles, had knowledge of sexual harassment and assaults allegedly committed against multiple city employees and their associates by his close advisor, and that he ignored the misconduct,” Grassley said.
He added, “Whistleblowers who have spoken with my office have not previously spoken to the Foreign Relations Committee, and are presenting new allegations that must be fully investigated.”
Investigative staff for Grassley are conducting a review of the allegations and are still in the fact-finding phase of the probe, a Grassley aide told the publication.
Grassley also noted that despite an investigation into Garcetti’s office finding no wrongdoing by the mayor or his staff, information provided by multiple whistleblowers strongly suggests the investigation was “incomplete at best.”
Garcetti had not publicly commented on Grassley’s investigation as of Thursday afternoon.
Garcetti told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in December that he never witnessed the misconduct alleged by a former police bodyguard who claimed in a lawsuit that one of Garcetti’s advisor’s harassed him.
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