Blumenthal, Murphy, Senate Democrats Call for Investigation Into Navy's COVID-19 Outbreak & Decision to Relieve Capt. Crozier of Command

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led a group of 17 senators, including U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), in calling on the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General to conduct a formal investigation into troubling reports about the USS Theodore Roosevelt COVID-19 outbreak and decision to relieve Capt. Brett Crozier of his command of the ship.

“Given the concerns for the health and safety of the sailors on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, in addition to the potential for future COVID-19 outbreaks on other ships and submarines, we urge you to investigate the Navy’s response to this outbreak to evaluate whether the Navy is implementing all appropriate precautionary measures and best-practices to protect the safety of our fleet,” the Senators wrote in a letter to Acting Inspector General Glenn Fine.

Earlier this week, Capt. Crozier wrote a letter expressing serious concern with the Navy’s response to a COVID-19 outbreak on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, warning that “if we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our sailors.” Days later, he was relieved of his command.

The Senators expressed particular concern over the Navy’s “stark reversal” regarding Capt. Crozier’s leadership and the decision’s impact on sailors’ morale and readiness, especially “given the remarkable show of support for CAPT Crozier by members of his crew.”

The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Patty Murray (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Brian Schatz (D-HI).

The full text of the letter is available here.

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