KTLA

Witness contradicts Garcetti, says mayor expressed surprise L.A. wasn’t sued over former aide accused of harassment

Jeremy Bernard participates at a CNN politics panel during Politicon at the Pasadena Convention Center on July 29, 2017. (Joshua Blanchard / Getty Images)

The former head of the nonprofit Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles has testified that he heard Mayor Eric Garcetti express surprise that the city hadn’t been sued over his longtime aide Rick Jacobs, who is now accused of sexual harassment.

Jeremy Bernard, in a March deposition, said he heard Garcetti talk about Jacobs, the mayor’s former deputy chief of staff. Garcetti made a remark to the effect of, “I can’t believe Rick worked out at City Hall and that we got through it without a lawsuit,” according to Bernard’s testimony.

“I don’t remember the exact words,” Bernard testified. “He did make that comment. And I believe there was — to a couple — there might have been a couple of us he had said that to because I’ve heard that from others.”

Bernard’s testimony contradicts what the mayor said in his deposition earlier this year. Garcetti was asked if he made such a statement and the mayor replied that he did not.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.