Military seeks to limit Congress on fixing child sex assault
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. military officials have sought to ward off congressional efforts to address child-on-child sexual assaults on bases, even as they disclose that the problem is larger than previously acknowledged.
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In March, AP documented nearly 600 sex assault cases among children and teens on U.S. bases worldwide over a 10-year period. Army criminal investigators have now added another 86 investigations to the 223 they initially disclosed.
"They did not want any legislative action on this," said the staffer, who was not authorized to speak publicly and did so on condition of anonymity.
Some military officials began discussing how to limit congressional involvement last fall ...
AP's investigation found that many reports were shelved by military criminal investigators, while other cases were unprosecuted ...
"I hope to be able to demonstrate that we are making progress on our own, and do not need any legislative assistance," Col. William Smoot, the Army's chief of criminal law, wrote in an October email to fellow Judge Advocate General lawyers.
The Army still has not disclosed the number of pending sexual assault investigations it has involving kids on base.
More at:
https://www.chron.com/news/politics/article/Military-seeks-to-limit-Congress-on-fixing-child-12893287.php
