In politics, behind-the-scenes gossip and smack talk are as commonplace as groundbreakings and ribbon-cuttings.
Still, the revelations that Mayor Eric Garcetti’s chief of staff disparaged elected officials, city employees and heroes of organized labor on a private Facebook group have stunned even the most jaded political veterans.
The scandal created another major distraction for Garcetti, now finishing his eighth year in office. His longtime advisor, chief of staff Ana Guerrero, has been placed on an indefinite leave as a result of her Facebook posts, adding to the instability felt at the upper levels of City Hall.
The mayor is already viewed as someone with one foot out the door, awaiting a presumed invitation to join the Biden administration. Another aide is facing sexual harassment allegations. Now, the scandal over the private Facebook group has pulled back the curtain on what some see as a catty, two-faced culture in his office.
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