Blumenthal & Feinstein Call on Department of Justice to Testify in Upcoming Judiciary Committee Hearing on the FBI Mishandling of Larry Nassar Case
“Had the FBI done its job, justice would have been done sooner, and children and adults alike would have been spared Nassar’s heinous abuse.”
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco calling on them to testify at an upcoming hearing on the recently released report by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG) investigating the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) mishandling of the allegations made against former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar. The senators asked DOJ officials to address concerns regarding the Department’s decision not to hold accountable FBI agents who engaged in unlawful conduct in connection with the Nassar investigation.
The OIG report revealed that multiple FBI agents committed serious errors and violated FBI policy during the Nassar investigation, and later made material false statements to federal investigators reviewing their misconduct. “The OIG twice referred this matter for potential prosecution—first under the Trump Administration and then later to the present leadership of the Department of Justice. The OIG report indicates that there were two declinations,” the senators noted. “We believe an explanation is owed to the athletes so grievously harmed and to the American public.”
The senators wrote further: “Dozens, and perhaps even hundreds, of athletes were abused by Larry Nassar between the time that his criminal activity was first reported to the Indianapolis field office and the time that he was arrested. That is dozens, and perhaps even hundreds, of young women and girls who were assaulted and traumatized because the FBI failed to act.”
The senators expressed, “deep concern that DOJ has chosen not to prosecute the FBI agents who violated the law,” and said the FBI, “consistently and repeatedly failed to live up to its stated values.” They concluded by telling Garland and Monaco, “We hope and expect that one of you will agree to appear before the Committee to address these important issues and concerns.”
The full text of today’s letter is available here .
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