U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Statement on National Guard Bureau Report on Wisconsin National Guard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin released the following statement today on the National Guard Bureau’s Office of Complex Investigations (OCI) assessment of the Wisconsin National Guard’s sexual assault protocols, reporting mechanisms, investigations and accountability measures:

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for the service and sacrifice of our Wisconsin National Guard service members and I have worked for over a year to do right by courageous whistleblowers and brave survivors of sexual assault who came forward and contacted my office. I want to thank Governor Evers for joining me in calling for the National Guard Bureau’s Office of Complex Investigations to conduct this independent and comprehensive assessment of the Wisconsin National Guard’s handling of sexual assault and harassment.

“Our Wisconsin National Guard service members deserve leadership of unmatched integrity and a work environment free of sexual assault, harassment and the fear of retaliation. This National Guard Bureau report makes clear they have received neither. The failure of leadership, wrongdoing, and lack of accountability that has been uncovered demands change at the Wisconsin National Guard, including new leadership and implementing all of the report’s recommendations on how best to prevent sexual assault and harassment, and confront it with accountability when it occurs. Now that the first steps of change are being taken, I support Governor Evers’ executive order to work towards true justice for the survivors of sexual assault and accountability for those that committed crimes against them.”