Congressional Inquiry Reveals Coast Guard's Use of Illegal Agreements to Silence Sexual Assault Victims
A recent congressional inquiry exposes how leaders in the US Coast Guard utilized nondisclosure agreements to silence victims of sexual assault, hindering their ability to speak out about their experiences. This revelation follows a CNN report on sexual misconduct within the esteemed Coast Guard Academy.
US Coast Guard leaders were found to have used nondisclosure agreements to silence sexual assault victims, as revealed in a congressional inquiry following a CNN report on sexual misconduct at the Coast Guard Academy.
According to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who is part of the Congressional committee investigating the Coast Guard's actions, these agreements were part of a deliberate effort to hide information about sexual assaults at the Academy from both Congress and the public. In a letter to Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan, Sen. Cruz expressed concern over this practice.
A view of the United States Coast Guard headquarters building in Washington, Friday, June 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
A view of the United States Coast Guard headquarters building in Washington, Friday, June 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Susan Walsh/AP/File
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Coast Guard leaders created a list of reasons for not informing Congress about an explosive sexual assault investigation, according to new records.
Senator Cruz criticized the practice of requiring victims to keep silent about their experiences, stating that it is unacceptable. He pointed out that preventing any Coast Guard member from speaking to Congress would be a violation of federal laws. Cruz emphasized the importance of allowing employees to report misconduct to prevent wrongdoing from being concealed.
The Coast Guard clarified on Monday that the agreements victims were asked to sign were not meant to silence them, but to protect the integrity of the investigation and ensure the privacy of other victims and witnesses in the Fouled Anchor probe. The agency provided the records to Cruz's office as part of their commitment to transparency, although they did not address the criticism that the agreements were illegal.
A Senate Commerce Committee review is currently underway, part of multiple government investigations sparked by CNN reports on the covert Coast Guard investigation known as "Operation Fouled Anchor." The probe revealed a history of covering up sexual misconduct spanning several decades.
CNN reported that Coast Guard leaders kept the internal investigation a secret by requiring officials to sign non-disclosure agreements. In a letter to Fagan, Cruz mentioned that the agreements silenced personnel involved in the case, including subjects, investigators, witnesses, and assault victims.
“Requiring victims to agree not to discuss what happened to them is particularly reprehensible,” Sen. Ted Cruz wrote in a letter to the Coast Guard Sunday. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
Sen. Ted Cruz wrote a letter to the Coast Guard on Sunday, expressing his strong disapproval of requiring victims to stay silent about their experiences. The senator finds this practice particularly reprehensible. The letter was accompanied by a photo taken by Nathan Howard/Getty Images.
Cruz emphasized the urgency for Fagan to quickly stop the use of any prohibited NDAs, mentioning that he has involved other government agencies in the matter, such as the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General, who is leading an investigation into the Fouled Anchor coverups.
The Coast Guard has faced increasing scrutiny since the Fouled Anchor controversy emerged last June. In response, Fagan has issued multiple apologies to Congress members, current and former academy cadets, as well as the entire Coast Guard workforce. He has also implemented various reforms to improve how sexual assault cases are managed within the agency.
Members of Congress have expressed their dissatisfaction with the lack of transparency and have proposed several legislative solutions in response.
Senator Chris Murphy recently announced a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security that includes $1.5 million for an independent review. The bill also includes language that would ensure Congress receives important information and regular briefings to promote transparency and accountability regarding the Coast Guard's decision to withhold Operation Fouled Anchor findings from Congress. Additionally, a recent GAO report highlighted the need for the Coast Guard to implement more measures to foster a culture change within the service.
In Cruz's letter, he mentioned that the Coast Guard had refused to allow interviews with lawyers involved in the investigation, citing legal privilege. He also pointed out that officials being considered for promotions had only committed to being honest and transparent with Congress under certain conditions. He highlighted a lack of cooperation with the Inspector General's ongoing investigation.
Cruz expressed his concern that this lack of cooperation was unfair to the survivors of rape and other sexual assaults at the Academy, who he felt had already been let down by the Coast Guard.
Do you have information or a story to share about the Coast Guard past or present? Email melanie.hicken@cnn.com and Blake.Ellis@cnn.com.
Editor's P/S:
The revelations exposed in the congressional inquiry are deeply disturbing and raise serious concerns about the Coast Guard's handling of sexual assault cases. The use
