Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla) is vowing to stop seven Biden Administration nominees, including one who allegedly ignored sexual assault accusations.
Rubio announced on Friday that he is placing a hold on the former mayor of Los Angeles and prospective Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti.
In July 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Garcetti. However, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has yet to schedule a floor vote amid allegations that he covered up a sexual assault committed by a top aide.
The other six nominees Rubio is attempting to stop include a pro-abortion extremist and someone who did legal work for a country where human rights are abused.
“One of these nominees has ignored credible sexual assault accusations in his prior office. Another has done legal work with solar panel companies operating in Xinjiang, where egregious human rights abuses are committed. The list also contains an abortion extremist, someone with no diplomatic or investment experience, and an individual who has supported a policy of engagement with Cuba’s murderous dictatorship. I will not turn a blind eye to these absurd nominations, which will hasten America’s decline,” Rubio said.
Garcetti’s nomination stalled on the House floor after Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) questioned whether Garcetti knew about his aide’s sexual activities.
During the 117th Congress, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) also placed a hold on Garcetti’s nomination.
A staff report commissioned by Grassley suggests that Garcetti “more likely than not” knew about his aide’s sexual harassment allegations against a former Los Angeles Police Department officer.
On Tuesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will vote whether to proceed with Garcetti’s nomination.
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