In a fiery hearing on Tuesday, Senators took aim at Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan of the US Coast Guard, accusing her of fostering a “culture of concealment” within the service. Lawmakers, led by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, chair of the Homeland Security Committee’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, criticized Fagan for failing to address serious misconduct and mishandling of sexual assault cases within the Coast Guard.
Blumenthal highlighted the findings of their investigation, which revealed a “deep moral rot” within the Coast Guard, prioritizing cronyism over accountability and silence over survivors. Despite Fagan’s assurances that sexual assault was a thing of the past, the subcommittee found the issue to be “persistent and unacceptably prevalent” across the service, with nearly 40 whistleblowers coming forward in recent months.
During the hearing, Fagan was grilled by lawmakers on the steps being taken to remove perpetrators of serious misconduct and hold leaders accountable. Blumenthal emphasized the importance of supporting survivors, noting that more survivors leave the Coast Guard than perpetrators.
The hearing was sparked by CNN’s reporting on Operation Fouled Anchor, a secret investigation that uncovered dozens of mishandled sexual assault cases at the Coast Guard Academy. The probe was quietly closed and kept hidden from Congress and the public.
Fagan faced intense questioning about her knowledge of the investigation prior to becoming commandant in 2021. She admitted to learning about it in 2018 when the agency’s leadership council was briefed but refused to disclose whether her predecessor, Admiral Karl Schultz, was behind the decision to conceal the findings.
The hearing also shed light on allegations from the academy’s head of sexual assault prevention, Shannon Norenberg, who accused top leaders of directing her to lie to survivors and Congress. Norenberg claimed she was prevented from providing survivors with key paperwork for accessing veteran’s benefits.
Lawmakers criticized Fagan for using an ongoing Inspector General investigation as a shield to avoid discussing specific allegations. Sen. Maggie Hassan raised concerns about the Coast Guard’s reluctance to release videos of assault survivors and questioned the agency’s understanding of the sexual assault problem.
Throughout the hearing, senators denounced the lack of transparency and cooperation from the Coast Guard with their investigation. Sen. Ron Johnson suggested that subpoenas may be necessary to uncover the truth. Lawmakers from the House Oversight committee, conducting their own investigation into the agency, joined in the criticism, citing a lack of responsiveness to their requests for records.
As pressure mounts on Fagan and the Coast Guard, lawmakers called for truth, transparency, and accountability to address the culture of misconduct within the service. The hearing highlighted the need for a comprehensive investigation to uncover the extent of the issue and ensure justice for survivors.
