U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) have called on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to do more to ensure justice for the athletes harmed by former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.
In a stinging letter sent to Garland Monday, Blumenthal and Moran wrote, "to date there has been little to no action taken to hold those at the Department of Justice who should have protected Nassar's victims accountable."
The Senators' letter comes more than eight months after the Department's Office of Inspector General found that the FBI seriously mishandled its inquiry into the Nassar case.
The Senators also said they want the Justice Department to investigate several instances of alleged cover-up by officials of USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic Committee. They said it is unclear whether the Department has ever looked into them.
"We are encouraged that the Department of Justice is reviewing its earlier decision to not criminally charge the FBI agents who knew of Nassar's abuse, did nothing, and then lied about their inaction in violation of their sworn duty and the law," they wrote in the letter. "The Department's response to the OIG report cannot end there."
"Furthermore, other information strongly suggests failures — beyond the apparent dereliction of duty by two FBI agents — that merit your attention and fact finding," the letter continued.
The Senator's letter calls for the Department "to conduct a comprehensive review of all information in its possession to determine whether any additional investigations should be opened or widened, and if other individuals and institutions who enabled the cover up of this egregious abuse should be charged and held accountable."
John C. Manly, an attorney who has represented survivors of sexual assault by Nassar, echoed the senators' sentiments. "The Justice Department ignoring this case both under the Trump Administration and the Biden Administration is awful," Manly said.
"We've heard nothing," he said. "What are they doing? We want an update. And frankly, I want to understand why they weren't prosecuted to begin with."
The Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment.
