Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, will vote against Eric Garcetti to become the U.S. Ambassador to India, she announced Wednesday.
Hirono broke away from her party and will vote against President Biden's nominee after saying she received "very credible" information regarding Garcetti that she says is disqualifying. Hirono did not detail what the information is.
Hirono told reporters that she had received "information that was given to me in confidence, but very credible, which is leading to my no vote," according to NBC
The senator had previously said she was in favor of Garcetti's nomination. Her about-face comes as Republicans have roadblocked his nomination over a sexual harassment scandal in his previous office. Hirono gave no indication that her information related to that scandal, however.
Garcetti has been awaiting confirmation for over 600 days.
Several Republicans have themselves broken ranks to support his nomination, arguing the post is too important to leave vacant for so long.
"It’s a national security imperative to immediately have an ambassador in place in India. We can't afford to wait any longer," Todd Young, R-Ind., told Fox News Digital last week.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS NOT A DETERRENT TO WH NOMINATION OF FORMER LA MAYOR GARCETTI
Garcetti's role is one of many ambassadorships the Biden administration has struggled to fill.
Garcetti's nomination will face a final vote in the Senate later Wednesday.
