Former Garcetti staffer says an aide’s unwanted kissing and touching was ‘an open secret’

A former high-level aide to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti testified last month that former Garcetti advisor Rick Jacobs kissed both her and her husband on the mouth without their consent, and that a male Garcetti staffer separately complained to her that Jacobs made a pass at him. She said she encountered a Mafia-like culture that rewarded silence and was told that Jacobs “was protected by the mayor.” At one point last summer, Seligman said, she confronted Guerrero, asking her why — considering Garcetti’s big dreams for his future — neither she nor the mayor had done anything about Jacobs. She said members of the detail did not enjoy the hugs and looked “wildly uncomfortable.” Seligman also testified that Garcetti was present for some of Jacobs’ “power hugs” that she saw in the mayor’s suite. Micha Star Liberty, Seligman’s lawyer, said her client was courageous for coming forward and “telling the truth under oath.” Liberty said her client’s concerns have been repeatedly dismissed by Garcetti, his staff and Jacobs himself. “This is a tactic we’ve all seen too often to discredit survivors.” Seligman’s testimony follows statements made by former mayoral aide Henry Casas in a deposition that it was “common knowledge” inside the mayor’s office that Jacobs engaged in inappropriate behavior toward male employees.