Coast Guard Affirmatively Challenges Scrutiny Regarding Mismanaged Sexual Misconduct Incidents, Assert Lawmakers
The U.S. Coast Guard is facing criticism for its handling of sexual misconduct investigations, following reports of delays, limited disclosures, and reluctant cooperation. The controversy began in 2014 with the launch of Operation Fouled Anchor, an investigation into possible sexual assaults at the Coast Guard's academy. The investigation, which was kept secret from Congress, found that school leaders routinely failed to report serious allegations to law enforcement. The House Oversight panel's Operation Fouled Anchor investigation has involved interviews with former USCG senior leaders and more than 20 whistleblowers. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs panel's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has reviewed more than 18,000 pages of documents and interviewed 15 former USCG personnel as part of its review of Operation Fouled Anchor. The investigation found that former USCG Commandant Karl Schultz decided not to publicly disclose Operation Fouled Anchor's existence based on recommendations from other senior officials. Schultz stated that he wasn't trying to cover up Operation Fouled Anchor but rather was concerned about protecting victims' privacy. However, the Coast Guard has been accused of refusing to produce responsive documents, aggressively redacting documents, erroneously claiming privilege over responsive documents, and limiting the subcommittee's access to key documents. The House report determined that the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, which can receive victim reports of sexual assault, 'was not a properly functioning law enforcement agency and lacked sufficient resources to conduct thorough investigations during the period investigated by Operation Fouled Anchor.' In response, USCG Commandant Linda Fagan ordered a review that prompted 33 actions to improve USCG's culture following the publicization of Operation Fouled Anchor. One of the implemented actions is a safe to report policy that protects victims and eyewitnesses who report sexual misconduct from being punished for minor collateral misconduct. Despite the ongoing investigations, representatives for the House Oversight and Accountability Committee Republicans and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., did not respond to requests for comment regarding when their respective investigations would end and any plans for a legislative response. The Coast Guard is currently cooperating with an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General. As the investigations continue, the public and Congress await further updates and actions to address the concerns raised by Operation Fouled Anchor.
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