So, isn’t suing the FBI for a billion dollars actually suing taxpayers (us) for a Billion dollars? This is a money grab. If it’s not, then sue for way less money and make your point. The monetary value doesn’t hurt the FBI, it hurts the US taxpayers. Most of the people paying for this settlement/award will be innocent people who earn less in their lifetime than what these women have already been awarded in recompense for their suffering. Some statistics note that 1/3 US women have suffered abuse by the time they’re college age; hence the me-too movement. There are also men who suffer abuse as children and adults. Now, a lot of these abused innocent people will pay taxes to help pay off millionaires who have made their case heard, received the public support and sympathy, and still want more. In case I missed something and all of this money is going to be slotted for charities that help abused people, then I apologize for being out of line.
Background: Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics told local FBI agents in 2015 that three gymnasts said they were assaulted by Nassar. The FBI did not open a formal investigation or inform federal or state authorities in Michigan (he was a doctor at MSU), according to the Justice Department’s inspector general. Nassar wasn't arrested until later in 2016 during an investigation by (wait for it) Michigan State University police. Michigan State University police 1, FBI 0. But by then, this monster was able to sexually abuse about 90 girls for another 17 months.
But in response to some of the above...
1. Taxpayers footing the bill for government incompetence/negligence happens literally every time the government fvcks up, is liable, and ends up being the defendant in a civil action. State government, federal government, administrative agency, local LEO, or even the FBI.... when they fvck up, taxpayers pay the bill. You don't like? Well, ****, neither do I. But the alternative would be what, exactly? No recourse because it's the government? Ohhhhhh-kay... but, have you seen our government? Whether federal, state, or municipal, they are consistently ******* **** up. Here's a depressing
link to an article explaining how much taxpayer money the City of Baltimore paid out over just a 5 year period only counting the lawsuits against the police department (its millions of dollars). You think broke as **** Baltimore can afford that? After the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, where the FBI had received a tip about five weeks before 17 people were killed there but apparently never got around to forwarding it to the FBI’s South Florida office, the government agreed to pay $127.5 million to families of those killed or injured. Money grab? Parkland's an affluent zip code and they got plenty of "public support and sympathy," right?
2. Money grab?? If that's the term you want to use, sure... of course they are suing for money. Welcome to civil litigation. I'll be your host, Obvious Guy, and remind you human civilization has yet to invent the time machine (and never will... it's a paradox). So how else would you recommend these young women (WHO WERE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AND ABUSED WHILE WORKING TO REPRESENT THEIR COUNTRY IN THE ******* OLYMPICS) be made whole for their mental/emotional/psychological injuries? How else is anyone anywhere made whole for the injuries they sustain due to the negligence of another person? Example: If I get drunk and crash my car through your front door and take a **** on your cat, and then you file a lawsuit, is that a money grab? If the damage to your house is $10K to repair and I offer to pay that and bathe your cat, would you still sue? Would you sue me for "way less money" than what you think the injury is worth? What you ask me to pay for your inconvenience? Fear and apprehension? Trauma? What if you make more money than I do? What if I get you plenty of "public support and sympathy," would you call off your attorneys? Doubtful. You'd probably say something like, "fvck your sympathy, pay me as much as my attorney can possible get." Just like 99.9% of the people in this country do.
3. As far as "what they have already been awarded in recompense for their suffering," I am assuming you mean from their prior lawsuit against USA Gymnastics. Of course, literally hundreds of women were involved in that one and reached a (combined) $380 million settlement with USA Gymnastics, the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee and their insurance companies... after a 5 year legal battle that included USA Gymnastics declaring bankruptcy. You might think that's enough. I doubt they'd agree, but fair enough. And if you are selected for the jury you can definitely make that case to your fellow jurors.
4. It seems like you're getting caught up on the billion dollars part. That's just a demand. Maybe they'll get more, probably they'll get much, much less (and they could, potentially, get nothing). Just like you can ask your boss for a 100% raise and he/she may ask if you're out of your mind, but still end up offering you a 25% raise that'll make you happy, so, too, with lawsuits and demands. That part's just posturing. Chalk it up to "the game is the game" and move on. But also, recognize that it's $1 billion for over 90 claimants who were all (allegedly) sexually abused by Nassar during this period (of "gross misconduct"... not my words, FBI Director Christopher Wray called it that).
5. How does (a few of, BTW, not even most of) them being millionaires make a difference? Is it your position that once a person has made enough money, government entities are free to do whatever they want to that person and that person shouldn't be able to file a civil suit for monetary damages because they've got enough money and most taxpayers have less? If so, that's some twisted reasoning (and seems like some extremely socialist thinking).
6. Whether they give whatever (if any) money they are awarded to charity or use it to buy a new house in Napa, I, personally, do not care. If a jury of American men and women determine that's what they are entitled to for the (alleged) ineptitude of federal law enforcement officers that (allegedly) resulted in 90 girls being sexually abused over a period of 17 months when the FBI had the complaints, could have done something about it, but did next to nothing, then so be it. Be better, FBI. Maybe getting hit for a few big lawsuits will **** people off enough that some things start to change. Probably not, but maybe.
So, yeah, your indignation is pointed in the wrong direction.