Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has denied allegations that he witnessed his onetime political aide Rick Jacobs inappropriately touch the mayor’s longtime bodyguard, and denied that he heard Jacobs talk explicitly about sex, saying such behavior would be “completely out of character” for Jacobs.
Garcetti’s testimony was taken in a deposition this month by attorneys for Los Angeles Police Officer Matthew Garza, a former member of Garcetti’s security detail who has filed a lawsuit claiming he was harassed by Jacobs. The Times reviewed a transcript of the deposition Thursday.
In his deposition, Garcetti was asked about Garza’s allegations that Jacobs massaged Garza’s shoulders, pulled him in for a hug and called him “handsome.” Garcetti said he didn’t witness such behavior.
A former staffer to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti testified he was repeatedly hugged and given unwanted shoulder massages by former senior mayoral aide Rick Jacobs and witnessed similar treatment of a police officer now suing the city over the alleged advances.
Henry Casas, who worked for Garcetti from 2013 to 2018, made the allegations in a deposition he gave in December to attorneys for Los Angeles Police Officer Matthew Garza, a former member of Garcetti’s security detail who has filed a lawsuit claiming he frequently endured harassment by Jacobs. Casas is the first Garcetti aide to publicly allege improper behavior by Jacobs while he worked for the mayor, and his testimony could bolster Garza’s case.