Blumenthal to question top Coast Guard Academy leaders over cover-up allegations

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) will hold a press conference Tuesday morning regarding the alleged mishandling of sexual assault and harassment at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

The news conference will take place at 10 a.m. before the Coast Guard oversight hearing, during which Blumenthal is expected to question Coast Guard Commander Admiral Linda Fagan.

The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation investigation, called Operation Fouled Anchor, was initiated in September 2023 and focused on the Coast Guard's internal review of sexual assault and harassment cases between 1990 and 2006 .

He highlighted the Coast Guard's alleged mishandling of these cases and its failure to account for them to Congress and the public. The subcommittee also examines how the Coast Guard currently handles reports of sexual assault and harassment.

Shannon Norenberg, former sexual assault response coordinator at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, told News 8 she resigned because Coast Guard officials ordered her to “lie” to assault victims and Congress and that she had become an unwitting accomplice in their cover-up.

“They used me to go out there and assure people we had this. We take care of that,” Norenberg said. “But in reality, we appease them. It was a paper exhibition. It was a dog and pony show. It was a prank. It was just to show that we were doing something.

Norenberg said documents given to assault victims indicated the Coast Guard told Congress about Operation Fouled Anchor when, in fact, they kept it secret.

This is a developing story. Stay with News 8 for updates.