Grassley Calls on Garland to Task Federal Prosecutor with Reviewing DOJ & FBI Failures in Nassar Investigation
‘Nassar survivors deserve accountability, especially from DOJ’
BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), ranking member of
the Senate Judiciary Committee, is calling
on Attorney General Merrick Garland to reexamine the Justice Department’s
and FBI’s mishandling of its investigation into sexual abuse of young athletes
by disgraced Olympic physician Larry Nassar. At a Judiciary
Hearing this week, survivors of Nassar’s abuse detailed how the FBI failed
to promptly and properly investigate claims of abuse, allowing for more than
100 other young athletes to be victimized.
“Nassar
abused hundreds of young athletes while FBI sat on its thumb. DOJ refused to
attend the Judiciary Committee hearing this week to face questions. Attorney
General Garland should assign a federal prosecutor or special counsel to uncover
what the FBI knew and when, as well as to seek prosecutions of those involved
in the cover-up. These brave gymnasts and all Nassar survivors deserve
accountability, especially from the Justice Department,” Grassley said.
A recent
Justice Department inspector general report
detailed the FBI’s mishandling of the Nassar investigation, prompting this week’s
hearing,
where star gymnasts Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols and Aly Raisman testified about the FBI’s
inaction. The Justice Department refused to participate in the hearing, despite
the committee’s request.
At the
hearing, Grassley previewed legislation he is working on to strengthen a federal
“child sex tourism” statute that the inspector general identified as being inadequate
in the Nassar case.
As
chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2017, Grassley convened
the first congressional hearing on protecting young athletes from
sexual abuse, and co-authored
legislation requiring amateur athletic organizations to report
instances of sexual abuse. He also conducted
oversight of the U.S. Olympic Committee’s response to the scandal
involving Nassar. Grassley crafted
legislation to improve safeguards for young athletes and ensure
proper use of funds designed to investigate allegations of abuse. Grassley’s
efforts were included in a legislative package that
later became law.
