The U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has released redacted documents from the U.S. Coast Guard relating to a 2018 report called "Operation Fouled Anchor" that looked in to the mishandling of sexual assault at the Coast Guard Academy over several years.
The redacted documents include a list of "pros" and "cons" under consideration as Coast Guard officials weighed whether to publish the report according to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), chair of the subcommittee.
“This document also reflects the reason that the decision was made not to disclose, in other words to withhold information from the public and from Congress," Blumenthal said at a news conference on Friday. "It was, in fact, that disclosure will risk the initiation of comprehensive Congressional investigations, hearings, and media interest.”
Operation Fouled Anchor was an extensive, internal investigation that uncovered multiple cases of rape and sexual abuse at the Coast Guard Academy, and found many instances where officials ignored or covered up the allegations.
Blumenthal called the documents "troubling" and said they raise new questions about how and why the report was covered up.
The subcommittee is currently working to identify handwriting on the documents, believed by Blumenthal to be that of Admiral Charles Ray, a former Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard.
Blumenthal said a separate investigation into the buried report has also been launched by the Office of the Inspector General and that he cannot rule out the possibility of criminal prosecutions once all investigations are completed.
The Coast Guard has not responded to requests for comment or to confirm whether the handwriting on them is Admiral Ray's.
