Washington, DC – Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) thanked members of the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team for coming forward to tell their stories in the Senate Judiciary Committee today.
“I want to compliment all of our witnesses for the stunning clarity and grace of your testimony here. Your quest for accountability is 100 percent justified, and thank you for pursuing it. We will endeavor to help you in that pursuit,” Whitehouse said. “It is astonishing and disturbing how many adults let you down, and failed at one of the most basic responsibilities of adulthood, which is to look out for children, behave properly, and hear and trust them. So on behalf of adults everywhere, we owe you an apology. What you’ve done today is impressive, and it will make a difference, and I am grateful to you for stepping up the way you have.”
The women took part in a hearing entitled, “Dereliction of Duty: Examining the Inspector General’s Report on the FBI’s Handling of the Larry Nassar Investigation,” which addressed the Justice Department Inspector General’s recent report documenting the FBI’s failure to properly investigate reports that Larry Nassar assaulted young athletes.
Video of Whitehouse’s statement is available here.
