Gillibrand: There Must Be Full Accountability
Following reports that U.S. Olympic Committee knew about team doctor abuse as early as 2015 and took no action, Gillibrand calls on department of justice to launch an investigation, determine how these failures happened and if USOC violated the law
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called on the Department of Justice to investigate the U.S. Olympic Committee following recent reports that the USOC was informed of probable crimes committed by Dr. Larry Nassar as early as 2015, but took no action.
As the organization that oversees USA Gymnastics, USOC had a duty to act when informed of a possible crime.
“Over the past few weeks we’ve seen more than 150 young women bravely come forward to talk about the abuse and cruelty they suffered at the hands of Dr. Larry Nassar,” said Gillibrand. “Nassar’s crimes were facilitated by a culture of silencing victims and valuing a doctor over the vulnerable children he was supposed to heal. These young women and children were failed time and again by adults at the U.S. Olympic Committee who were entrusted with the responsibility to care for them. When presented with credible information that Nassar was a child predator committing crimes against young girls, the U.S. Olympic Committee appeared to turn a blind eye. The Department of Justice should immediately investigate the U.S. Olympic Committee and determine the depth of their failures and whether they violated the law.”
Gillibrand is also a cosponsor of bipartisan legislation with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) that would establish a Special Senate Committee to investigate the USOC, USA Gymnastics, and their role in criminal or negligent behavior of their employees.
The full text of Senator Gillibrand’s letter to DOJ is here.