Ajit Karn
Wednesday, a Senate committee approved former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s nomination to be US ambassador to India, paving the way for a full Senate vote despite questions about his handling of a sexual harassment case. Garcetti’s nomination was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by a vote of 13 to 8, with Republicans Todd Young and Bill Hagerty joining Democrats in favour.
Garcetti was nominated for the position by US President Joe Biden in July 2021, and a Senate committee initially approved his nomination in January 2022. Republicans and some Democrats raised questions about his handling of a sexual harassment case from his time as mayor, which halted his campaign.
Senator Chuck Grassley concluded in a report that Garcetti “likely” knew or should have known that a former aide had engaged in sexual harassment and made racist remarks. Garcetti denied the allegations, and a White House spokesman referred to the GOP-led report as a “hit piece” in the past.
Garcetti never received a full Senate vote before the end of the January congressional session, and Biden immediately renominated him at the beginning of the current session.
Ned Price, a spokesman for the Department of State, stated, in response to a question about the Senate committee vote, that, given the significance of India, the United States requires a confirmed ambassador.
“Today, the Senate did indeed take action. We strongly applaud this. India requires a confirmed US Ambassador. Our team on the ground, including the Charge d’ Affaires who served in lieu of an ambassador, has accomplished extraordinary feats “said Price.
“It would be in both of our best interests to have a confirmed Ambassador in place. We hope that Mayor and soon-to-be Ambassador Eric Garcetti will soon be able to assume his new position “added Price.
He stated that no other country in the world would allow a vacancy to exist in a strategically significant and valuable location like India for more than two years.
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“Now, we certainly hope that the action taken by the Senate today augurs future action. The United States requires a confirmed Ambassador in India… There is no other country in the world that would allow a vacancy to exist in a strategically significant and valuable location like India for over two years “added Price.
