With lower than a month to go earlier than he leaves workplace, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is urgent his effort to get the U.S. Senate to confirm his appointment as ambassador to India, a fraught marketing campaign sophisticated by a Republican senator whose workplace is attempting to resume doubts about whether or not the mayor and his employees mishandled sexual harassment allegations in opposition to a high aide.

It has been greater than 16 months since President Biden nominated Garcetti because the U.S. consultant to the world’s largest democracy. A vote on the appointment has by no means been scheduled, as Garcetti and his allies pressure to achieve the 50 votes wanted for approval.

L.A.’s mayor has waited far longer for affirmation — almost 500 days — than all others whom Biden has designated to be ambassadors, in accordance with the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service.

“At some point, they need to get this resolved, because our effectiveness on the world stage is being harmed,” mentioned Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. “It’s a bad signal to India in that it diminishes the sense of recognition of their importance.”

The White House has continued to specific help for Garcetti, who backed the previous vp when he appeared a protracted shot for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

Garcetti and his staff have centered on profitable some Republican votes, after no less than just a few Democratic senators, together with Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, indicated considerations in regards to the harassment allegations. In an interview final week, Garcetti mentioned his nomination has bipartisan help, although he declined to debate the senators he has spoken to.

“This India-U.S. relationship is critical,” Garcetti mentioned as he rode in a Veterans Day parade in Pacoima. “So I’m optimistic because a lot of people said, ‘Wait till after the election.’ We can focus on it now and I’m optimistic we’ll get it scheduled and get it done. I’m ready to serve.”

The White House and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will decide whether or not and when to name a vote on the India nomination. With a crush of extra urgent enterprise dealing with Congress — together with elevating the debt ceiling to maintain the federal government functioning — the Garcetti vote could possibly be postpone till subsequent 12 months.

A Senate runoff election in Georgia might give the Democrats a 51st senator, doubtlessly offering yet one more pro-Garcetti vote.

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has placed a hold on Garcetti’s nomination. In a quick interview this week, she expressed doubt that the mayor would get confirmed within the lame-duck session. Asked if she believed that he would ever get confirmed, Ernst mentioned, “Maybe not.”

A staffer for one Democratic senator agreed that Garcetti’s path to approval seems murky, along with his boss remaining on the fence in regards to the Garcetti nomination and never anxious for the matter to return to a vote.

“It’s very analogous to when a house has been on the market for two years. You say to yourself, ‘There must be something wrong with this house,’ ” mentioned the staffer, who requested to stay nameless due to the sensitivity of the nomination course of. “I just don’t see an upside for anyone, pushing this vote ahead.”

But White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre informed reporters in early November that the Biden administration would “continue to seek the expeditious confirmation of Mayor Garcetti,” including: “That is important to this president, a priority to this president.”

Garcetti has been stymied, no less than partially, by Ernst’s fellow Iowa Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley, whose employees has centered on allegations that the mayor ignored allegations {that a} former high aide, Rick Jacobs, sexually harassed others within the mayor’s workplace.

In a report it issued in May, Grassley’s workplace contended that allegations of sexual harassment in opposition to Jacobs, a former deputy mayor, had been “pervasive, widespread and notorious.” It additionally concluded that it was “more likely than not that Mayor Garcetti either had personal knowledge of the sexual harassment or should have been aware of it.”

Grassley’s employees has continued to pursue details about the controversy. A spokesman for Grassley confirmed that the senator’s investigators obtained data final week about two new people who alleged inappropriate conduct by Jacobs.

One of the lads, a longtime civic activist in L.A., mentioned in an interview with The Times that he spoke final week to 2 Grassley staffers, telling them that Jacobs greeted him on no less than eight events in an inappropriate approach — forcibly kissing him on the mouth whereas additionally normally grabbing his buttocks.

The activist mentioned the conduct occurred when he met with Jacobs on municipal enterprise and at vacation events that Jacobs held at his residence. In the final of the situations, Jacobs “squeezed” his buttocks when he met the Garcetti aide at his City Hall workplace.

All the opposite unwelcome greetings occurred earlier than Jacobs joined the mayor’s workplace, the person mentioned. He mentioned he didn’t recall an occasion when Garcetti witnessed the conduct. He mentioned he informed his spouse in regards to the encounters, and he or she confirmed in a separate interview with The Times that her husband had complained about Jacobs.

The man, who can be a Democratic Party operative, mentioned he didn’t wish to be recognized as a result of he feared Garcetti or his allies may disparage him in L.A.’s insular political circles. He mentioned he by no means complained to Garcetti or his aides for a similar cause, and since he frightened that he would seem homophobic.

When Grassley’s workplace contacted him final week, the person mentioned he agreed to inform his story as a result of he believed that Jacobs’ conduct appeared so brazen and routine that he thought Garcetti will need to have identified about it.

Grassley’s staffers additionally confirmed that they’re reviewing the deposition of one other man who complained about Jacobs. In testimony given final month and reviewed by The Times, Paul Kadzielski, a former member of the mayor’s communications staff, mentioned Jacobs hugged him and sometimes touched or massaged his shoulders over a interval of a number of years.

The deposition was taken as a part of a lawsuit introduced in opposition to town by Matt Garza, an LAPD officer who alleges that Jacobs touched him and made crude remarks, typically in entrance of Garcetti.

Kadzielski complained that Jacobs informed him he seemed “strong” or “handsome.” He additionally testified that Jacobs additionally made racially inappropriate and sexually inappropriate feedback — conduct so widespread that it was a daily matter of dialog amongst Garcetti’s communications staff.

Kadzielski, who labored in Garcetti’s workplace from 2015 to 2020, testified that Jacobs stopped repeatedly touching him after Kadzielski informed him that his conduct made him really feel uncomfortable.

Asked if Jacobs ever hugged or massaged him in entrance of Garcetti, Kadzielski testified, “I can’t recall a specific instance.”

Kadzielski didn’t reply to a request for remark from The Times.

Similar to some others who’ve testified, Kadzielski mentioned he had handed on his considerations about Jacobs to superiors within the mayor’s workplace, however that nothing occurred. Garcetti’s representatives have used the brand new testimony to argue the mayor couldn’t have mounted what he was not informed about. Others have rejected that notion, saying Jacobs’ misbehavior was so routine the mayor needed to know.

Jacobs has denied harassing anybody however mentioned in deposition testimony that he might have hugged the officer. He additionally has mentioned he might have made sexual jokes in entrance of the mayor’s safety element.

An legal professional for Jacobs didn’t reply to requests for remark in regards to the two new claims of inappropriate conduct.

Garcetti mentioned the topic of the sexual harassment allegations has not dominated his many Zoom, telephone and in-person conferences with senators.

“I’ve been clear, I think, and I think that the evidence is crystal clear too,” Garcetti mentioned, that he didn’t learn about Jacobs’ purported misbehavior. “The conversations [with senators] really revolve around India and the strategic moment that we’re living through and my qualifications. I haven’t had a single conversation that hasn’t ended positively.”

Garcetti owed his optimism partly to Biden’s persevering with loyalty. “The president spoke to me personally,” Garcetti mentioned. “He said, ‘Let’s get this done. Let’s get you over there.’ ”

Taylor Foy, a consultant for Grassley, mentioned this week that the 2 extra accounts of Jacobs’ conduct “raise more questions” in regards to the accuracy of a report — commissioned by town legal professional’s workplace and accomplished by legal professional Leslie Ellis — that discovered Garcetti, Jacobs and others had achieved nothing unsuitable.

Grassley intends to vote in opposition to Garcetti’s nomination if it involves a vote within the full Senate, Foy mentioned.

The White House has portrayed Grassley’s report on Jacobs as a “hit job” and acknowledged that the claims “have already been conclusively debunked” by the Ellis report and different data.

Garcetti’s dad and mom, Gil and Sukey Garcetti, proceed to pay a lobbying firm to push their son’s nomination. The agency, McGuireWoods, has reported receiving $60,000 for the work, which the mayor mentioned he accepts, perceiving it as an indication of his dad and mom’ love.

Asked if he has a backup plan in case the Senate doesn’t approve his transfer to Delhi, Garcetti smiled and replied: “No. I plan on getting confirmed.”

Times employees author Nolan McCaskill, in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.