John Engler to testify before Congress over Larry Nassar scandal

Michigan State University interim president John Engler is scheduled to testify before Congress over the Larry Nassar sexual assault scandal later this month.

Engler is scheduled to testify at 2:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 24 before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation's subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance and Data Security.

The former Michigan governor took over as Michigan State's interim president following the resignation of former president Lou Anna Simon, who resigned in the wake of the Nassar scandal after serving as Michigan State's president for more than 13 years in late January.

Here is what Michigan State spokeswoman Emily Guerrant had to say about Engler testifying, according to The Detroit News.

"The subcommittee is calling the presentation 'Strengthening and Empowering U.S. Amateur Athletes: Moving Forward with Solutions."

Engler recently came under fire for comments he made about Rachael Denhollander, who was the first person to publicly accuse Nassar of sexual assault when she told her story to The Indianapolis Star shortly before they published it in September of 2016.

This was three months before Nassar was finally arrested after sexually assaulting more than 300 people, many of whom female gymnasts, under the guise of medical treatment for more than two decades. Olympic champion gymnasts Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber are among those who have accused Nassar of sexual assault.

In an e-mail that he sent in mid-April to Carol M. Viventi, the vice president and special counsel to the president, Engler accused Denhollander of likely receiving a "kickback" from her lawyer, John Manly.

Several people called for either Manly to step down or for Michigan State to fire him over these comments, but the Michigan State Board of Trustees voted to retain him until they find a new president, a position that Manly is not a candidate for. They are aiming to do so by next June.

Nassar, meanwhile, is set to spend the rest of his life behind bars, as he was given a federal prison sentence for 60 years on three child pornography charges, a state prison sentence for between 40 and 175 years on seven sexual assault charges and another state prison sentence for between an additional 40 and 125 years on three more sexual assault charges.

The 54-year-old disgraced former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State physician was given these three prison sentences this past December, January and February, respectively. He was charged with six counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child in Texas roughly two weeks ago.