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Examine the well prepared testimony of Justice Section Inspector General Michael Horowitz.
Thank you for inviting me to testify about the Office environment of the Inspector General’s (OIG)’s “Investigation and Evaluate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Dealing with of Allegations of Sexual Abuse by Former United states Gymnastics Doctor Lawrence Gerard Nassar.”
Right before I convert to our report, I want to acknowledge and accept the many gymnasts who had the braveness to appear forward to report Larry Nassar’s abuses. This involves the athletes who shared their considerations with Usa Gymnastics in 2015 prompting the referral to the FBI, the gymnast who went to the Michigan Point out College Police Office (MSUPD) in August 2016 that led to the MSUPD’s investigative activity and Nassar’s ensuing arrest, and the gymnasts who spoke with The Indianapolis Star that resulted in that newspaper’s exposé about Nassar’s abuses in September 2016. As the Committee listened to in the testimony now from McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols, Aly Raisman, and Simone Biles, their persistence and energy carry on to this working day.
These gymnasts showed remarkable bravery by coming ahead to depth the surprising sexual assaults that they experienced endured from a Usa Gymnastics medical medical professional (Nassar) at the exact same time they were being competing at the optimum amounts for our place. And, as you also heard currently, these athletes noted this abuse with the hope and the perception that their actions would help you save other young women and women from the serial abuse that they experienced endured. Sadly, as our report signifies, the response of the FBI agents who received that data betrayed their law enforcement responsibilities and their obligations to these victims. As our report even further particulars, Larry Nassar’s abuses incredibly very well could and should really have been stopped faster, if correct motion had been taken by the FBI in response to the brave steps of these athletes. Not only did that not take place, but just after the FBI agents’ inadequate and incompetent reaction arrived to light-weight, FBI documents were being developed that falsely summarized the testimony of an athlete who had used hours detailing the abuses she endured, and inaccurately described the FBI’s dealing with of the matter. Even further, when called to account for their actions, two of the agents lied to our OIG investigators.
Despite the fact that the sexual abuses by Nassar, and the appallingly inadequate reaction by the FBI simply cannot be undone, these athletes’ determination to justice and pursuit of accountability for all concerned in this deeply tragic series of functions will increase our institutions and aid to make sure that federal legislation enforcement responds in an appropriate and well timed way to stories of youngster sex abuse in the future. We have manufactured a quantity of recommendations to protect towards the failures that we outline in our report, among the the most significant of which is to make sure that little one sexual abuse allegations are promptly claimed by the FBI to state and neighborhood authorities to avert more victimization in situations these types of as these. We were being ready to evaluate and tackle these failures only since of the bravery of the athletes that spoke with us during our investigation. I thank them for their cooperation with our brokers and their energy in coming ahead. Simply because of their actions and bravery, essential reforms are currently being undertaken to make sure that functions this kind of as these do not come about once more.
I also want to admit the essential get the job done of this Committee, less than the leadership of Chairman Durbin and Ranking Member Grassley, for holding present day hearing. In addition, in 2017, this Committee held a vital hearing on guarding youthful athletes from sexual abuse that knowledgeable the OIG’s investigation. I also want to understand the significant investigative get the job done of Senators Moran and Blumenthal and their report relating to Nassar’s abuses, which also was extremely educational throughout our critique.
