FBI failures shown to Larry Nassar when Senate hears testimony from top gymnasts

by

The hearing examines how the FBI abused its investigation into Nassar’s allegations, which were first filed with the agency in July 2015. Several violations of the protocols resulted in months of delay, as reported in a scathing report from the Inspector General of the Department of Justice published in July.

While the federal investigation was exhausting, Nassar abused dozens of victims, according to the inspector general’s report.

FBI officials “did not respond to Nassar’s allegations with the utmost seriousness and urgency they deserve and demanded, they made numerous and fundamental mistakes when they responded to them and violated multiple FBI policies,” he stated. the report.

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz and FBI Director Chris Wray will also testify.

“The failure of the FBI in this case resulted in the casualty of more athletes,” trial president Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, said in July.

Nassar pleaded guilty in 2018 to seven felony counts of criminal sexual conduct in a case filed by the Michigan Attorney General. He was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison, after more than 150 women and girls testified in court that he had sexually abused them in the past two decades.

Gymnasts willing to talk

The gymnasts who testified on Wednesday have already spoken publicly about the victims of Nassar’s abuses. Nassar, who also worked at Michigan State University, touched the athletes inappropriately under the guise of performing medical treatments.

Biles, winner of seven Olympic medals as well as several world and national championships, revealed this year that she was motivated to compete in part at the Tokyo Summer Olympics because it would force the sport to address its shortcomings in protecting the its athletes. .

“It seems to me that if there were no survivors left in the sport, they would have just done it,” Biles told Hoda Kotb of NBC. “But because I’m still here, and I have quite a presence and platform on social media, they have to do something.”

Raisman, who won Olympic medals in 2012 and 2016, has also been critical of criticizing how Nassar and others were allowed to mistreat gymnasts for so long, he told CNN’s “New Day” in March. that “Monsters don’t thrive for decades without the help of people.”
Raisman, Olympic teammate Maroney and Nichols, who competed on the 2015 U.S. World Championship team, made public statements in court proceedings against Nassar.
Nichols reported Nassar to US Gymnastics in 2015, alleging that his inappropriate touch began when he was 15 and that he also sent him Facebook messages that complemented his appearance.

They will now speak to the Senate as lawmakers pressure the Justice Department to take further steps to address the slips in its Nassar investigation.

Bipartisan anger on Capitol Hill

Wray and Horowitz’s appearance before the committee will be just the last time officials have been subjected to intense interrogation on Capitol Hill. During President Donald Trump’s administration, Wray, who was confirmed as director in 2017, repeatedly faced Republican hostility over the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s campaign ties.

More recently, Democrats criticized Wray for the FBI’s unpreparedness for the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

FBI investigation failure Larry Nassar is another black eye for the agency
Anger over Nassar has united lawmakers on both sides, as investigating the FBI’s failures has bipartisan support. Lawmakers have also crossed the aisle to support legislation that seeks to hold universities accountable for not protecting students from sexual abuse.

In addition, there is frustration that the Justice Department has refused to prosecute the two FBI officials identified in the IG report for alleged false statements.

“We believe an explanation is due to such severely injured athletes and the American public,” sensors Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Dianne Feinstein of California, both Democrats on the Committee, wrote in a recent letter to Justice Department leaders judicial. “deep concern” over lack of processing.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the FBI has fired an agent accused of failing to initiate a proper investigation into Nassar.

The agent, Michael Langeman, lost his job last week, two people familiar with the matter told the Post. Langeman was a special surveillance agent at the FBI office in Indianapolis and had interviewed Maroney in 2015 about his allegations of sexual abuse against Nassar.

CNN’s Paul LeBlanc contributed to this report.

.Source