Rep. Courtney Statement on ‘Operation Fouled Anchor’
NORWICH, CT – Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) issued the following statement after CNN released details of a Coast Guard report, Operation Fouled Anchor, that outlined a history of sexual misconduct at the Coast Guard Academy.
“After a six-year, thorough investigation conducted by the Coast Guard, ‘Operation Fouled Anchor’ details the Academy’s alarming failure to properly report, investigate, and prosecute cases of harassment and sexual assault from 1988 to 2006. Unacceptably, the lack of action at that time left dozens of survivors with no pathway to justice or recovery while assailants have been afforded unchecked opportunity to advance their careers. While I appreciate the Coast Guard’s diligence in conducting the investigation itself, I am particularly alarmed that the Coast Guard inexplicably failed to report these findings to Congress at the conclusion of its investigation in 2020—preventing lawmakers from conducting necessary oversight, correcting policy gaps in bringing perpetrators to justice, and ensuring full accountability.
“This failure is compounded by the fact that this lack of disclosure came at a time when the Academy was already under scrutiny for its handling of discrimination and harassment cases, which I and my office have directly challenged leadership at the Academy and Coast Guard on for several years. The lack of transparency and accountability here is deeply disappointing.
“In eastern Connecticut, our maritime heritage runs deep, and the Coast Guard Academy is a central part of that. The leaders of the Coast Guard and the Academy owe Congress and the American people a full accounting of their actions and the steps they have taken, and will continue to take, to address misconduct and protect and support survivors within their ranks.”