[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 43 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S1112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NOMINATION OF ERIC GARCETTI

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I intend to object to any unanimous 
consent request at the present time relating to the nomination of Mayor 
Eric Garcetti, of California, to be the U.S. Ambassador to India.
  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 adviser and that he ignored the misconduct. The allegations 
involving the mayor's office have been the subject of public reporting 
and a purportedly independent investigation. However, serious questions 
remain regarding the alleged misconduct, as well as the mayor's 
knowledge of that misconduct.
  First, 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. Second, the 
investigation of the Los Angeles mayor's office reportedly found no 
wrongdoing by the mayor or his staff.
  However, information provided by multiple whistleblowers strongly 
suggests that this investigation was incomplete at best. The extent to 
which the investigation was truly independent is also not clear, and 
the report has not been made public.
  The United States owes it to the Republic of India to send them a 
qualified Ambassador that will represent the values of the United 
States. Mayor Garcetti may very well be fully qualified, but at this 
time, the Senate needs to look into these allegations further.
  So until my staff and I have conducted a thorough investigation and 
are able to speak with everyone involved, I cannot vote to confirm Mr. 
Garcetti.

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