Larry Nassar hearing: McKayla Maroney blasts FBI for ignoring abuse as Simone Biles cries in Senate
Department of Justice Inspector General’s report suggested the FBI office did ‘limited follow-up’ following the claims of abuse against Nassar
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Athlete Simone Biles testified before a Senate committee looking into the FBI’s handlind of abuse allegations against former Olympic gymnast team doctor Larry Nassar.
Nassar, who is currently serving a 40 to 175-year prison sentence for seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, was accused of abuse by more than 150 women – including Ms Biles and fellow gymnast stars Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Maggie Nichols, who also testified on Wednesday (15 September).
The Senate Judiciary Committee is looking into the allegations made against Nassar in 2015, and a Department of Justice Inspector General’s report released in July that found Indianapolis FBI officers did not respond to allegations made by more than 100 athletes “with the utmost seriousness and urgency that the allegations deserved and required”.
The report suggested the FBI office did “limited follow-up” following the claims of abuse against Nassar, and that he continued to work with young athletes for a year after complaints were raised.
In this time, according to the report, he allegedly abused more than 70 young athletes who were under his medical care.
The publication of the report also saw the dismissal of one FBI agent as part of an internal investigation into the abuse allegations.
Wray addresses lack of criminal prosecution of FBI agents
FBI Director Christopher Wray was questioned by senators at the hearing about why the Justice Department, whose top officials declined to appear on Wednesday, did not go forward with criminal referrals for two FBI agents named by the inspector general.
Mr Wray said that he could not answer why prosecutors at did not seek federal charges against the two agents found by the inspector general to have made false statements or deceptive omissions about their conduct to other investigators.
“I don’t know the answer. I have done what I can do. That is to have fired the supervisor and special agent who was featured so prominently in the report,” said Mr Wray.
Wray addresses lack of criminal prosecution of FBI agents
FBI Director Christopher Wray was questioned by senators at the hearing about why the Justice Department, whose top officials declined to appear on Wednesday, did not go forward with criminal referrals for two FBI agents named by the inspector general.
Mr Wray said that he could not answer why prosecutors at did not seek federal charges against the two agents found by the inspector general to have made false statements or deceptive omissions about their conduct to other investigators.
“I don’t know the answer. I have done what I can do. That is to have fired the supervisor and special agent who was featured so prominently in the report,” said Mr Wray.
Social media erupts in support for Biles, other gymnasts after hearing
The bravery of Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Maggie Nichols for their gripping testimonies on Wednesday was widely cheered on Twitter after the hearing concluded in the early afternoon.
Joining the praise was at least one member of the Senate Judiciary Committee itself, Sen Amy Klobuchar, who tweeted that the women were “once again leading with courage by testifying about what Larry Nassar did to them to make sure nothing like it ever happens again.”
At senate judiciary hearing where Simone Biles, Minnesotan Maggie Nichols and other star gymnasts are once again leading with courage by testifying about what Larry Nassar did to them to make sure nothing like it ever happens again.
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) September 15, 2021
“Thank you for your strength in testifying at today’s Senate Hearing, as well as for your tireless efforts to hold those at fault accountable,” added the magazine Inside Gymnastics.
Simone Biles. Mckayla Maroney. Aly Raisman. Maggie Nichols. ❤️
— Inside Gymnastics (@InsideGym) September 15, 2021
Thank you for your strength in testifying at today’s Senate Hearing, as well as for your tireless efforts to hold those at fault accountable.
📸 Reuters pic.twitter.com/Vj5A1z0WF5
Others on social media directed their anger elicited by the testimony at FBI director Christopher Wray, who took control of the agency in 2017 and did not oversee the initial investigation but has been around to oversee the agency’s response in recent years.
.@FBI Director Wray was appointed by an authoritarian serial rapist and sexual assaulter. He has bungled January 6th, ignored the Kavanaugh investigation and now Larry Nasser's horrific mass sexual assault. Nothing he says should be believed. He shouldn't even have his job.
— Andrea Ciannavei #VoteNoCArecall 🇮🇹 ❤️🖤🩸🦷 (@AndreaCiannavei) September 15, 2021
A travesty. Director Wray needs to resign and he needs to take the agents that did NOTHING for these poor girls with him. No pensions. No perks.
— Bankston's Liberal Mom 🏳️🌈 (@ColorMeLiberal) September 15, 2021