Slow Passage to India: 2 Republicans Help Eric Garcetti’s Nomination as Ambassador to India to Advance to Full Senate
- It remains to be seen how questions about his handling of sexual misconduct allegations as Los Angeles mayor against his top aide Rick Jacobs will play out this time around.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has voted to advance the embattled nomination of Eric Garcetti to be ambassador to India. Earlier today (March 8), the committee voted 13-8, primarily along party lines. Two Republicans Sens. Todd Young of Indiana and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee voted with Democrats to support Garcetti’s nomination.
“I am honored to be President Biden’s nominee for this important post, and pleased that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has once again approved my nomination on a bipartisan vote,” the former Los Angeles mayor said in a statement.
The next step is for Garcetti to get a vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate. It is unclear when Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) will schedule a floor vote, and whether he has enough votes to be confirmed. Meanwhile, CNN notes that “the two Republican votes in committee indicates he has some wiggle room on the floor to lose a handful of Democratic votes and still win the job.”
However, vulnerable Senate Democrats whose seats are up for reelection in red states in 2024 told The Los Angeles Times last week that they hadn’t looked into the nomination and were unsure how they would vote. But Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told the daily she was “impressed” with Garcetti’s knowledge of India “after the two met privately last week.” Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) threw her support behind Garcetti. Senate Democrats have a 51-49 majority over Republicans, and a majority of senators would need to support Garcetti’s nomination to send him to New Delhi as the U.S. ambassador to India.
Last year, although the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously cleared Garcetti’s nomination, it was not given a full Senate vote, thanks largely because the Republicans ostensibly wanted to get to the bottom of the sexual misconduct allegations.
It remains to be seen how questions about his handling of sexual misconduct allegations as Los Angeles mayor against his top aide Rick Jacobs will play this time around. Jacobs was accused of sexually assaulting women on the staff.
Last year, although the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously cleared Garcetti’s nomination, it was not given a full Senate vote, thanks largely because the Republicans ostensibly wanted to get to the bottom of the sexual misconduct allegations. Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) released a 23-page report that found it was “extremely unlikely” that Garcetti didn’t know about his aide’s alleged behavior.
Garcetti testified under oath multiple times, including before the U.S. Senate, that “he absolutely did not witness nor was he informed of any of the behavior being alleged.” He left no stone unturned to get through the nomination, including hiring prominent lobbyists, McGuireWoods Consulting, reportedly financed by his parents, according to Politico.
The position of U.S. ambassador to India is lying vacant since Biden assumed office on Jan. 20, 2021. However, in May, Biden appointed Daniel B. Smith as the U.S. Charge d’Affaires to India. Ken Juster was the last U.S. ambassador to the country.