US gymnasts testify before Congress about FBI's Nassar investigation

FBI Director Christopher Wray said he is "deeply and profoundly sorry" to all of the women and girl athletes whose outcries about sexual abuse at the hands of former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar were not investigated thoroughly by the agency.

"And I'm especially sorry that there were people at the FBI who had their own chance to stop this monster back in 2015 and failed, and that is inexcusable. It never should have happened, and we're doing everything in our power to make sure it never happens again," Wray said.

A Justice Department inspector general report this summer found that two FBI agents failed to conduct a thorough investigation into Nassar. The sexual abuse continued until state prosecutors and law enforcement got involved.

Wray said the FBI has already begun implementing all of the inspector general's recommendations, including strengthening policies and procedures and training “to firmly underscore the critical importance of thoroughly and expeditiously responding to all allegations of sexual assault or abuse.”

One of the FBI agents, W. Jay Abbott, the highest-ranking official in the Indianapolis field office, retired before the inspector general's review started. After the report concluded last month, another agent was fired.

"As for the former Indianapolis specialist in a charge, the descriptions of his behavior also reflect violations of the FBI, his longstanding code of conduct and the ethical obligations for all FBI employees, especially senior officials," Wray said in regards to Abbott.

"I will say it is extremely frustrating that we are left with little disciplinary recourse when people retire before their cases can be adjudicated. But let me be clear, people who engage in that kind of gross misconduct have no place in the FBI," he continued.

FBI Director Christopher Wray was asked to explain what went wrong during the bureau's investigation of the Larry Nassar abuse claims. He responded, "I don't have a good explanation."

Wray reiterated that an agent involved in the investigation has been fired. 

He said that the FBI agents who handled this case "betrayed core duty" of protecting people.

The Senate hearing is ongoing, with lawmakers on the judiciary committee questioning Wray and Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz.

More context: Allegations into Nassar were first brought to the agency in July 2015. Several violations of protocols led to months of delay, as captured in a scathing Justice Department inspector general report released in July.

In recent weeks, an FBI agent accused in the inspector general's report of failing to launch a proper investigation was fired by the FBI, US law enforcement officials told CNN. A supervisor who was also singled out in the IG report for violating protocol and false statements retired from the FBI in January 2018.

CNN's Tierney Sneed contributed reporting to this post.

In his opening statement, FBI Director Christopher Wray addressed the agency's failures in handling the assault case involving members of the US gymnastics team and Larry Nassar.

Wray made a promise and commitment to make sure the FBI doesn't just move on from this case and that FBI remembers it in "heartbreaking detail" and knows "the pain that occurred when our folks failed to do their jobs."

Throughout his opening statement, Wray rebuked the failures within his agency in handling the case.

"After I became FBI director and when I learned there were people at the FBI who had also failed these women, I was heartsick and furious," Wray said.

"I want to be crystal clear. The actions and inaction of the FBI employees detailed in this report are totally unacceptable. These individuals betrayed the core duty that they have of protecting people. They failed to protect young women and girls from abuse. The work we do certainly is often complicated and uncertain. We're never going to be perfect, but the kinds of fundamental errors that were made in this case in 2015 and 2016 should never have happened. Period. As long as I'm FBI director, I'm committed to doing everything in my power to make sure they never happen again," he said.

The first panel of today's hearing with US gymnasts McKayla Maroney, Simone Biles, Maggie Nichols and Aly Raisman has wrapped.

FBI Director Chris Wray and Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz are testifying now before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The star gymnasts ripped the FBI and the Justice Department in their testimony for how FBI agents mishandled abuse allegations brought against Larry Nassar and then made false statements in the fallout from the botched investigation.

Allegations into Nassar were first brought to the agency in July 2015. Several violations of protocols led to months of delay, as captured in a scathing Justice Department inspector general report released in July.

Top USA gymnast Aly Raisman told a Senate hearing how her abuse at the hands of Larry Nassar continues to affect her every day, emphasizing the long lasting impact of trauma.

Raisman is one of the more than 150 women and girls who said USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor Larry Nassar sexually abused them over the past two decades.

"Healing looks different for every survivor. The aftermath looks very different," Raisman continued. 

She described how she went from training seven hours a day for the Olympics to not having "enough energy to stand up in the shower" after she first shared her story publicly.

"I would have to sit on the floor and wash my hair because standing up was too exhausting for me. I couldn't even go for a 10 minute walk outside. This is someone, I've competed in two olympic games," Raisman said, adding that her 80-year-old grandfather has more energy than she does at 27.

"It's important for people to start recognizing you may never know what someone else is going through. But for people who have been through trauma, it's really hard," she added.

Raisman's testimony today is part of a Senate committee hearing on the FBI’s handling of the Nassar investigation. The Justice Department's inspector general found FBI officials investigating the allegations violated the agency's policies by making false statements and failing to properly document complaints by the accusers.

Coverage of today's hearing may have elicited strong emotions for some people.

That’s especially true for those who are survivors of sexual violence.

If you or someone you know is dealing with the aftermath of sexual assault, there are organizations that can help. Many are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will confidentially listen, answer questions, provide local and legal resources and help determine the next steps.

The panelist of USA gymnasts was asked during the hearing by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, if any of them had a female FBI agent in the room while they were questioned by investigators.

McKayla Maroney said that she never had a female agent "alongside me" during the investigation.

Simone Biles said that there was a female agent in the room with her at the Olympic training center in 2016 when she spoke to investigators, but most of the questioning was done by men.

Aly Raisman said that she thought there was a female agent in the room at the Olympic training center as well, "but I'm not entirely sure. "

"If I recall, my direct communication was with a male FBI agent," she said.

Olympian Aly Raisman said she feels tremendous guilt for more girls being abused by USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.

All of the testifying gymnasts — Raisman, Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney and Maggie Nichols — said they know of athletes who were abused by Nassar after July 2015, when the allegations were first brought to the FBI. Violations of protocols led to months of delay, which was documented in a scathing Justice Department inspector general report released in July.

Raisman said that she and her mother followed up many times after she reported abuse, and they were assured that it was being worked on and to keep quiet.

"It takes everything I have to work on not taking the blame for that, because it is, it's horrific. It's horrible to meet them and to know that over 100 victims could have been spared the abuse, if all we needed was one adult to do the right thing," she said.

Olympian Simone Biles said she and survivors of abuse by Larry Nassar want to see those involved in the botched FBI investigation into the former USA Gymnastics doctor "at least be federally prosecuted to the fullest extent because they need to be held accountable," in response to a question posed by Sen. Patrick Leahy.

Leahy responded, "As a former prosecutor, I agree with that."

Prior to Biles' statement, fellow Olympian Aly Raisman said "genuine accountability" means a complete overhaul of the system and a full investigation into the FBI, US Olympic & Paralympic Committee and USA Gymnastics.