Gillibrand calls for DOJ to investigate US Olympic Committee over abuse scandal

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) on Saturday called upon the Justice Department to investigate the U.S. Olympic Committee over a sex abuse scandal involving Dr. Larry Nassar.

In a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Gillibrand asked the Justice Department to determine whether the committee had “a legal duty,” in addition to a moral duty, to take action when alerted to a potential criminal act.

{mosads}“These young women and children were failed time and again,” Gillibrand wrote. “I call upon the Department of Justice to investigate the depth of those failures and whether they violated the law.”

Gillibrand’s letter comes after over 150 women and girls accused Nassar of sexually abusing them. The former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University sports doctor was sentenced last month to as many as 175 years in jail.

Gillibrand said in the letter to Sessions that the recent resignations of members of the USA Gymnastics board and Nassar’s penalty “are not enough.” The New York senator argued “a culture of silencing victims” enabled Nassar’s crimes.

“I request that the Department of Justice examine the extent to which other parties have failed in their duty and should be held responsible for their contribution to Dr. Nassar’s crimes,” Gillibrand said in the letter.