How LA Mayor Eric Garcetti Protected His Top Aide From Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Back in 2020, journalist and former Democratic fundraiser Yashar Ali accused Rick Jacobs, a top adviser to former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, of sexual misconduct. Ali wrote in a post Sunday about sitting down for an interview with NPR about the allegations in what is just his third-ever podcast interview.

“I sat down with NPR for a two-part investigative podcast series on allegations against Eric Garcetti,” Ali explained. “I’ve always turned down interviews in the past.”

“In 2020, I published a story revealing that then-L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti was aware of and did nothing to stop the repeated sexual misconduct of his top aide, Rick Jacobs,” Ali alleged. “As part of that story, I revealed that Jacobs had repeatedly forcibly kissed me without consent over the years.”

Jacobs has continued to deny ever sexually harassing anyone and denied all wrongdoing. He declined to respond to questions for NPR’s investigation and hung up on the reporter who called him, NPR’s Tom Dreisbach, according to the journalist.

Wanted to share something personal with you.

I sat down with NPR for a two-part investigative podcast series on allegations against Eric Garcetti.

This is only my third podcast interview ever; I’ve always turned down interviews in the past.

In 2020, I published a story… pic.twitter.com/w8VzcLRPE8

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) August 25, 2024

Before Garcetti hired Jacobs, he had a “reputation for touching and forcibly kissing people on the lips without their consent,” NPR noted, citing testimony, a Senate investigation and their own reporting and interviews.

“My story led to Garcetti not being appointed to President Biden’s cabinet,” Ali continued. “Inexplicably, President Biden later chose to nominate Garcetti to serve as U.S. Ambassador to India.” Ali went on to assert that he believes Garcetti’s nomination was justifiably held up in the Senate for two years, with bipartisan opposition.

“Again, inexplicably, President Biden stuck by Garcetti for two years, leaving one of our most strategic allies globally, and in the region, without an envoy. Garcetti was finally able to get confirmed due to $100,000 spent on a lobbyist by his parents,” Ali charged.

He praised the NPR investigative series and its “deep reporting” into “Eric Garcetti’s lies and President Biden’s willingness to look away from the truth,” Ali concluded. He also shared links to part one and part two of the podcast investigation.

In the podcast, Ali says, “I remember him walking towards me with his two hands out and grabbing my face and kissing me forcibly on the lips — two times.”

“I was frozen. It made me very, very uncomfortable. And once he did that, and I didn’t object to it, he continued. But not objecting to something is not consent. It’s just not objecting,” Ali also said.

Jacobs continued to kiss Ali without his consent “about a dozen times over the years.” Jacobs doesn’t dispute this, NPR reported, but he claimed it was part of a “cutesy little game,” in his words, between him and Ali. Ali called that explanation absurd and false.

NPR’s Dreisbach launched the investigation this year into whether or not Garcetti lied under oath about having had knowledge of the accusations against Jacobs. At the time of his 2021 testimony, Garcetti had been mayor of L.A. for eight years and had served as co-chair of President Biden’s 2020 campaign. Garcetti was accused of “witnessing and enabling harassment by a close friend and top political adviser for years,” NPR explained.

Ali originally posted his allegations against Jacobs on his website and was the second person to accuse Jacobs of misconduct. LAPD officer Matthew Garza, who worked on Garcetti’s security detail, previously accused Jacobs of assault and harassment. Garza also said Garcetti witnessed the misconduct.

According to Ali, he had also discovered others who had accused Jacobs of inappropriate behavior. He later added, “One day I’ll share the story of what Eric Garcetti and his cronies have tried to do to me for reporting the truth. But in the meantime, I hope people will listen to both parts of this investigative podcast series.”

“And while you’re listening to it, just know that the Biden administration, including the president, was aware of these details, had all the facts, and ignored them in favor of allowing the nomination of the despicable Eric Garcetti to be held up for two years,” Ali continued. “At some point in the future I’ll find out why the president was so loyal to such a mediocre man and was willing to allow India to go without a U.S. Ambassador for two years.”

Jacobs released a statement at the time that read, “For the past 17 years, I have dedicated myself to advocacy and public service. I do not want this to be a distraction. Therefore, I will take a leave from my non-profit work and my volunteer political work with the Mayor.”