LOS ANGELES (KNX) — A story published in New York magazine on Wednesday cast its gaze to the West Coast — compiling the accounts of individuals who say they were subject to sexual harassment at the hands of Rick Jacobs, formerly deputy chief of staff to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Naomi Seligman, a former communications director for Garcetti’s office, alleged Jacobs groped her and kissed her on the lips “for some long, uncomfortable period of time,” in front of her staff. She said she reported the incident to Garcetti’s chief of staff at the time, Ana Guerrero, who allegedly dismissed Seligman’s account.
Others who said they have experienced or witnessed Jacobs’ alleged misconduct said they were met with similar attitudes when they complained. He has been accused of kissing and inappropriately touching staffers, as well as making sexually charged remarks among colleagues.
Earlier this year, in a lawsuit brought against the city over Jacobs’ behavior, the mayor testified under oath that he knew nothing about the allegations levied against his former aide. New York magazine reported however that at least four people who worked closely with Garcetti and Jacobs disputed that characterization.
At a 2018 60th birthday party for Jacobs, the mayor reportedly gave a speech in which he made several jokes about his former aide. “I can’t believe we’ve never been sued for everything that Rick’s done,” Garcetti allegedly said.
The former CEO of the Mayor’s Fund, co-founded by Garcetti and Jacobs, told New York that he repeatedly heard the mayor express concerns over Jacobs’ conduct.
“It was definitely said with this genuine feeling of relief that they got through the period that Rick worked there without being sued,” Jeremy Bernard said. “Can you believe that we got through it without a lawsuit.”
A lawsuit filed by Los Angeles Police Officer Matthew Garza, who joined Gacetti’s security detail in 2013 and alleged he was subjected to forcible hugs, unwanted touching, and crude remarks by Jacobs, said the mayor was “present on approximately have of the occasions when Jacobs behaved in this way, and witnessed Jacobs’ conduct, but he took no action to correct Jacobs’ obviously harassing behavior.
Garcetti, whose second term as L.A. mayor ends next year, has been nominated to the position of U.S. Ambassador to India by the Biden Administration, pending confirmation in the Senate.
In a statement, Garcetti denied the allegations put forward by former staffers.
“As the Mayor has said repeatedly and under oath, he absolutely did not witness any sexual harassment by Mr. Jacobs, and if he had, he would have put a stop to it,” it read. “These claims were false the first time they were alleged more than a year ago, and they’re just as false today.”
An attorney for Jacobs declined to offer comment pending the lawsuit against the city.
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