Biden chose Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti to be ambassador to India

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President Biden is looking to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti to be the next US ambassador to India.

The White House has been rumored to have been planning the move since May, but made it official on Friday, promoting Garcetti to eight years as mayor of Los Angeles, 12 years on the city council and 12 years as an intelligence officer in the Navy.

“I am honored to accept his nomination to serve in this position,” Garcetti responded on Twitter.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti arrives for an event honoring the 2020 world champion baseball team Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House, Friday, July 2, 2021, in Washington. (Photo by Associated Press/Julio Cortez)

In addition to his time in Los Angeles politics, Garcetti also co-chaired Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, even arguing in a Fox News op-ed last summer that then-nominee Biden was “uniquely qualified” to lead the United States out of the coronavirus pandemic. . .

La Mayor, Eric Garcetti, said he overturned Biden’s management position

The mayor had previously requested that he be removed from Cabinet consideration at the height of the coronavirus crisis in the United States last year. India is currently facing a spike in COVID-19 deaths and new infections.

“I have dedicated my life to service – as an activist, educator, naval officer, and civil servant, and if confirmed, I will be an ambassador,” he wrote in a follow-up tweet. “Part of that obligation means that when your nation calls, you respond to that call.”

He added that he believed taking up the position would “help cement Los Angeles’ standing on the world stage.”

Garcetti’s achievements in Los Angeles include expanding the city’s light rail service and his handling of the coronavirus pandemic — but critics have been deflected by his failure to resolve the homelessness crisis.

In addition, a former aide was sued for sexually harassing one of his bodyguards while the mayor mocked the matter, an allegation he denied. One of his former deputies is currently facing federal corruption charges.

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The other nominees for ambassadors announced by the White House on Friday are Dennis Campbell-Bauer, a Democratic fundraiser for France and Monaco. Peter Haas, Veteran Diplomatic Corps Officer, for Bangladesh; and Bernadette Meehan, Obama’s national security assistant, for Chile.

The nominations will go to the Senate for approval.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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