The U.S. Coast Guard is under new leadership after the Trump administration fired Admiral Linda Fagan, the former Commandant, on Monday.
She was fired in part because of Operation Fouled Anchor — the investigation into mishandled sexual assault cases at the Coast Guard Academy in New London that was buried by the branch.
Christine Dunn is a partner at the law firm Sanford, Heisler, Sharp and McKnight. She’s representing survivors from the case.
“I’m encouraged by President Trump ousting her,” Dunn said. “I am hopeful that her successor will embrace the position with much more transparency and willingness to hold people accountable for what happened in Operation Fouled Anchor.”
Dunn said she hopes having Fagan out of the picture will encourage more survivors to come forward.
“She was part of the leadership that was keeping this under wraps, keeping this from coming out,” Dunn said. “And maybe now, with her being terminated, people will feel more emboldened to come forward. I hope more survivors come forward; the more survivors we have joining together, the more powerful we are.”
Other issues with her tenure cited in a Department of Homeland Security statement were the failure to deploy Coast Guard assets to address border security and an “excessive focus” on diversity, equity and inclusion. Fagan was the first woman to lead a branch of the armed forces.
“She was terminated because of leadership deficiencies, operational failures and inability to advance the strategic objectives of the U.S. Coast Guard,” the statement read in part.
Connecticut Congressman Joe Courtney, who’s district includes the academy, called the Trump administration’s action an abuse of power.