Just like kids on a road trip, we’re guessing that the Garcetti family is asking “are we there yet?” Our response would be: “Sari, not yet” (Yes, the puns are alive and strong here at Calpeek). The latest in the Great Garcetti Adventures to India occurred this week when GOP Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa released a 23-page staff report concluding that L.A. Mayor Garcetti “likely knew, or should have known,” about the claimed sexual harassment taking place by a top aide. The Biden Administration called the report a “hit job” and reinforced the President’s confidence in Garcetti.
In media interviews to follow, Garcetti told KTLA “I’ve been very clear. I can only state over and over that this is behavior that if it occurred, and if I had seen it, I absolutely would have taken action. That’s something that has been clear my entire life. My record has been very consistent that way. Opinions are not facts, and I’ll let the White House’s words speak for themselves, but this seemed to be a partisan report. It was incomplete. It was partisan, it was one-sided.” In a response to CNN, Garcetti said, “While I strongly disagree with the opinion reached in this report, I am pleased that Senator Grassley has lifted his hold, and hope that my nomination by the President can be considered by the Senate soon.”
As shared in a previous Calpeek, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer didn’t think Garcetti had the votes needed within the caucus. The question now is if that has changed, meaning that Garcetti’s nomination will no longer be hanging in the air and he can finally use his ticket on Air India.