Top US Senator Seeks Probe Into Charges Against Pick For Envoy To India

Washington: A top American Senator has called for a thorough investigation into allegations against Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is the ambassadorial nominee to New Delhi, involving his office, saying the US owes it to India to send a qualified diplomat who will represent the values of the country. The confirmation of Garcetti, 51, by the Senate has been pending for several months now, mainly because of the opposition from Republican Senator Chuck Grassley. On Thursday, Grassley took the Senate floor to reiterate that he will continue to oppose the nomination of Garcetti till the investigations being conducted by his staff are complete and he is satisfied with it. "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,” he said. "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," Grassley said. Giving details, Grassley said he has received multiple whistleblower complaints that Garcetti witnessed and was aware that his deputy chief of staff, Rick Jacobs, sexually harassed city employees. Two weeks ago, he had said that there needs to be an investigation. He had also called for review of the investigation that the city of Los Angeles had commissioned which had cleared Garcetti of any wrongdoing. "At the time, I instructed my staff to complete this investigation in no more than two weeks, since it is not my intent to drag this out. My staff spoke with additional whistleblowers and subsequently made three separate requests to representatives of the mayor to send us the city's investigative report - on March 11, 18, and 21,” he said on the Senate floor.

Washington: A top American Senator has called for a thorough investigation into allegations against Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is the ambassadorial nominee to New Delhi, involving his office, saying the US owes it to India to send a qualified diplomat who will represent the values of the country. The confirmation of Garcetti, 51, by the Senate has been pending for several months now, mainly because of the opposition from Republican Senator Chuck Grassley. On Thursday, Grassley took the Senate floor to reiterate that he will continue to oppose the nomination of Garcetti till the investigations being conducted by his staff are complete and he is satisfied with it. "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,” he said. "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," Grassley said. Giving details, Grassley said he has received multiple whistleblower complaints that Garcetti witnessed and was aware that his deputy chief of staff, Rick Jacobs, sexually harassed city employees. Two weeks ago, he had said that there needs to be an investigation. He had also called for review of the investigation that the city of Los Angeles had commissioned which had cleared Garcetti of any wrongdoing. "At the time, I instructed my staff to complete this investigation in no more than two weeks, since it is not my intent to drag this out. My staff spoke with additional whistleblowers and subsequently made three separate requests to representatives of the mayor to send us the city's investigative report - on March 11, 18, and 21,” he said on the Senate floor.Washington: A top American Senator has called for a thorough investigation into allegations against Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is the ambassadorial nominee to New Delhi, involving his office, saying the US owes it to India to send a qualified diplomat who will represent the values of the country. The confirmation of Garcetti, 51, by the Senate has been pending for several months now, mainly because of the opposition from Republican Senator Chuck Grassley. On Thursday, Grassley took the Senate floor to reiterate that he will continue to oppose the nomination of Garcetti till the investigations being conducted by his staff are complete and he is satisfied with it. "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,” he said. "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," Grassley said. Giving details, Grassley said he has received multiple whistleblower complaints that Garcetti witnessed and was aware that his deputy chief of staff, Rick Jacobs, sexually harassed city employees. Two weeks ago, he had said that there needs to be an investigation. He had also called for review of the investigation that the city of Los Angeles had commissioned which had cleared Garcetti of any wrongdoing. "At the time, I instructed my staff to complete this investigation in no more than two weeks, since it is not my intent to drag this out. My staff spoke with additional whistleblowers and subsequently made three separate requests to representatives of the mayor to send us the city's investigative report - on March 11, 18, and 21,” he said on the Senate floor.Washington: A top American Senator has called for a thorough investigation into allegations against Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is the ambassadorial nominee to New Delhi, involving his office, saying the US owes it to India to send a qualified diplomat who will represent the values of the country. The confirmation of Garcetti, 51, by the Senate has been pending for several months now, mainly because of the opposition from Republican Senator Chuck Grassley. On Thursday, Grassley took the Senate floor to reiterate that he will continue to oppose the nomination of Garcetti till the investigations being conducted by his staff are complete and he is satisfied with it. "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,” he said. "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," Grassley said. Giving details, Grassley said he has received multiple whistleblower complaints that Garcetti witnessed and was aware that his deputy chief of staff, Rick Jacobs, sexually harassed city employees. Two weeks ago, he had said that there needs to be an investigation. He had also called for review of the investigation that the city of Los Angeles had commissioned which had cleared Garcetti of any wrongdoing. "At the time, I instructed my staff to complete this investigation in no more than two weeks, since it is not my intent to drag this out. My staff spoke with additional whistleblowers and subsequently made three separate requests to representatives of the mayor to send us the city's investigative report - on March 11, 18, and 21,” he said on the Senate floor.Washington: A top American Senator has called for a thorough investigation into allegations against Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is the ambassadorial nominee to New Delhi, involving his office, saying the US owes it to India to send a qualified diplomat who will represent the values of the country. The confirmation of Garcetti, 51, by the Senate has been pending for several months now, mainly because of the opposition from Republican Senator Chuck Grassley. On Thursday, Grassley took the Senate floor to reiterate that he will continue to oppose the nomination of Garcetti till the investigations being conducted by his staff are complete and he is satisfied with it. "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,” he said. "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," Grassley said. Giving details, Grassley said he has received multiple whistleblower complaints that Garcetti witnessed and was aware that his deputy chief of staff, Rick Jacobs, sexually harassed city employees. Two weeks ago, he had said that there needs to be an investigation. He had also called for review of the investigation that the city of Los Angeles had commissioned which had cleared Garcetti of any wrongdoing. "At the time, I instructed my staff to complete this investigation in no more than two weeks, since it is not my intent to drag this out. My staff spoke with additional whistleblowers and subsequently made three separate requests to representatives of the mayor to send us the city's investigative report - on March 11, 18, and 21,” he said on the Senate floor.Washington: A top American Senator has called for a thorough investigation into allegations against Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is the ambassadorial nominee to New Delhi, involving his office, saying the US owes it to India to send a qualified diplomat who will represent the values of the country. The confirmation of Garcetti, 51, by the Senate has been pending for several months now, mainly because of the opposition from Republican Senator Chuck Grassley. On Thursday, Grassley took the Senate floor to reiterate that he will continue to oppose the nomination of Garcetti till the investigations being conducted by his staff are complete and he is satisfied with it. "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,” he said. "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," Grassley said. Giving details, Grassley said he has received multiple whistleblower complaints that Garcetti witnessed and was aware that his deputy chief of staff, Rick Jacobs, sexually harassed city employees. Two weeks ago, he had said that there needs to be an investigation. He had also called for review of the investigation that the city of Los Angeles had commissioned which had cleared Garcetti of any wrongdoing. "At the time, I instructed my staff to complete this investigation in no more than two weeks, since it is not my intent to drag this out. My staff spoke with additional whistleblowers and subsequently made three separate requests to representatives of the mayor to send us the city's investigative report - on March 11, 18, and 21,” he said on the Senate floor.Washington: A top American Senator has called for a thorough investigation into allegations against Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is the ambassadorial nominee to New Delhi, involving his office, saying the US owes it to India to send a qualified diplomat who will represent the values of the country. The confirmation of Garcetti, 51, by the Senate has been pending for several months now, mainly because of the opposition from Republican Senator Chuck Grassley. On Thursday, Grassley took the Senate floor to reiterate that he will continue to opp