Rick Jacobs, a former aide to Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, has denied harassing an LAPD officer but says it is “possible” he could have hugged the man, the LA Times reports. Matt Garza has filed a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles, alleging that Jacobs made inappropriate sexual comments, massaged his shoulders and hugged him some time between 2014-2019. Garza claims Garcetti saw it but didn’t intervene. Jacobs has called the allegations “pure fiction,” although in a deposition reviewed by the Times he said that he could have hugged Garza because he “had the impression” that he was open to it. He said it’s “possible” he made a sexual joke to other aides. When asked if he ever licked a straw in a “suggestive” way while looking at Garza, he said, “Not that I recall.” He denied asking Garza if he wore large condoms.

In the deposition, Jacobs admitted he called an aide “Chinaman” but has since apologized and said they remain good friends.