Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Demands Coast Guard Admiral Linda Fagan Testify About Operation Fouled Anchor

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) Chairman Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Ranking Member Ron Johnson (R-WI) wrote to U.S. Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Linda Fagan, calling on her to appear before the Subcommittee to testify about the mishandling of sexual assault investigations at the Coast Guard Academy and explain the Coast Guard's failure so far to produce all documents and information requested by PSI.

"Since the Subcommittee sent its initial request, the Coast Guard has failed to make good on your commitment to be transparent and cooperative with our oversight efforts," wrote the senators. "Even after we wrote to you again in December 2023 and raised specific concerns about the Coast Guard's lack of responsiveness, the Coast Guard continues to fail to provide relevant records in a timely manner and without redactions."

The senators emphasized the need for accountability from the Coast Guard, writing: "Simply put, the Coast Guard's lack of responsiveness stands in stark contrast to your previous commitments to be fully transparent with Congress and the American people."

In September 2023, PSI opened a bipartisan inquiry into the Coast Guard's internal review sexual assault and harassment cases that occurred between 1990 and 2006, which was called Operation Fouled Anchor. The Subcommittee's inquiry has focused on the Coast Guard's original mishandling of these cases and the Coast Guard's failure to reveal Operation Fouled Anchor, and its associated report, to Congress and the public. The full text of the senators' initial letter to the Coast Guard is available here, and the letter from December 2023 is available here. Video of a PSI hearing in December featuring testimony from survivors can be viewed here.

The full text of today's letter can be found here and below.

April 25, 2024

The Honorable Admiral Linda Fagan

Commandant

U.S. Coast Guard

2703 Martin Luther King Junior Avenue, SE

Washington, D.C. 20593

Dear Admiral Fagan:

On September 12, 2023, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (the "Subcommittee") initiated an inquiry into the mishandling of sexual assault and sexual harassment cases at the United States Coast Guard Academy ("CGA" or "Academy"), as well as the United States Coast Guard's ("Coast Guard") failure to notify Congress about the conclusion of Operation Fouled Anchor.^[1] We write to once again express our dissatisfaction regarding the Coast Guard's inadequate responses to the Subcommittee's requests. As such, we request that you appear before the Subcommittee on May 21, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. to testify about the Coast Guard's handling of Operation Fouled Anchor and its responses to the Subcommittee's inquiry.

Since the Subcommittee sent its initial request, the Coast Guard has failed to make good on your commitment to be transparent and cooperative with our oversight efforts. Even after we wrote to you again in December 2023 and raised specific concerns about the Coast Guard's lack of responsiveness, the Coast Guard continues to fail to provide relevant records in a timely manner and without redactions.^[2]

To date, the Coast Guard has only produced approximately 12,200 pages, which includes a significant number of duplicated documents and heavily redacted records. Less than three percent of the records produced consist of emails, a category of documents that the Subcommittee has repeatedly asked the Coast Guard to prioritize.^[6] And in numerous communications, the Subcommittee has called on the Coast Guard to remove redactions from records, hasten its rate of productions, and provide missing email attachments associated with the very limited number of communications that the Coast Guard has produced to date. In the nearly seven months since our inquiry began, it appears the Coast Guard's actions can only be explained by either its indifference or another shameful attempt to cover-up the embarrassing truths of its mishandling of cases involving sexual assault and sexual harassment.

Simply put, the Coast Guard's lack of responsiveness stands in stark contrast to your previous commitments to be fully transparent with Congress and the American people.^[7]

We expect the Coast Guard to provide all responsive records, without redactions, no later than May 15, 2024. Should the Coast Guard continue to impede the Subcommittee's inquiry by withholding records or including inappropriate redactions that hinder our legitimate congressional oversight, the Subcommittee will have no choice but to use compulsory process to ensure compliance. Please also confirm your appearance at the May 21, 2024 hearing by no later than May 3, 2024.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

-30-

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