The Senate confirmed Eric Garcetti to become the next U.S. ambassador to India after his nomination cleared a key procedural hurdle earlier Wednesday afternoon.
The Senate voted 52-42 to end debate and advance Garcetti’s nomination to the floor, an outcome that was far from certain heading into Wednesday.
SENATE COMMITTEE ADVANCES GARCETTI’S NOMINATION TO BECOME AMBASSADOR TO INDIA
His nomination had been stalled for well over a year amid accusations that he knew about sexual harassment allegations against one of his staffers. With Democrats uncomfortable over the scandal, it was unclear just how much support President Joe Biden’s nominee would garner from members of his own party. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said on Tuesday he did not whip Democrats to vote one way or another.
Ultimately, three Democrats voted against advancing Garcetti’s nomination, while seven Republicans supported the motion. He was confirmed roughly an hour later by the same margin.
Senators defended their support for Garcetti shortly after the procedural vote concluded.
Todd Young (IN), one of the Republicans to vote in favor, called having an ambassador to India in place a “national security imperative,” while Democrat Bob Menendez (NJ) argued the evidence wasn’t there to derail his nomination.
“There’s a lot of review of his files, reviews of witnesses, and the bottom line — not only does he deny it, but other witnesses deny that, in fact, he had any knowledge,” he told CNN.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to advance Garcetti’s nomination last week, signaling some hope to the Biden administration as it seeks to fill the position. Garcetti was able to garner support from two Republicans on the committee, suggesting he had some leeway to lose a few Democratic votes and nevertheless be confirmed.
Garcetti was also able to secure the support of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who initially said she would vote against him, further buoying his prospects.
Biden nominated Garcetti to the position in July 2021, and he was cleared by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee shortly thereafter. However, his nomination was stalled amid revelations about a sexual harassment lawsuit involving a former top adviser.
Garcetti testified at his confirmation hearing in December 2021 that he “never witnessed, nor was it brought to my attention, the behavior that’s been alleged.” However, a report from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) concluded it was “extremely unlikely” that Garcetti was unaware of the allegations against his staffer.
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Biden renominated Garcetti earlier this year for consideration in the new Congress after the Democrats expanded their majority in the Senate by one seat. The White House has maintained Garcetti has Biden’s full support and is “well-qualified to serve in this vital role.”
