Carol Rosenberg

Carol Rosenberg is an American journalist, currently with the Miami Herald of the McClatchy News Service. She has specialized in coverage of the operation of the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba. Rosenberg has made more visits to report on the detention of captives held in the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, at the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in Cuba than any other reporter.

Rosenberg was one of the four journalists sent home from the camp early, following camp authorities report three captives had committed suicide on June 10 2006. Carol J. Williams of the Los Angeles Times and Rosenberg had arrived early for a June 12 hearing under the Military Commissions Act of 2006. Following the reported deaths all hearings were cancelled, but Camp Commandant Harry Harris initially gave the two reporters permission to stay. Subsequently Commander Jeffrey D. Gordon, a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) spokesman, announced that all the reporters were to be sent home. According to Gordon other organizations had threatened to sue if their reporters weren't also given access to the base.

Allegations of sexual harassment

Three years later, on July 22, 2009, shortly before he retired from the Navy, Commander Gordon went public with complaints that he felt Rosenberg had been sexually harrassing him. According to Gordon, during a hearing, he and Rosenberg were watching a suspect squirm in his seat, shortly after he arrived in the courtroom, when she questioned whether he had ever had foreign objects inserted in his anus, which he said he regarded as an inappropriate sexual comment. All

On August 3 2009 the Miami Herald reported that it had concluded its internal inquiry. The internal inquiry, after interviewing both reporters and other Guantanamo staff, who would have been present during the incidents "did not find corroboration" for Gordon's claims. Elissa Vanaver. the Miami Herald's Vice President of Human Resources, wrote to DoD to inform the authorities of the conclusions reached by their inquiry.

The Miami Herald reported many of Rosenberg's colleagues and former interview subjects had contacted the Miami Herald to support her. Those who contacted the Miami Herald to express their respect for Rosenberg included military officers, including flag officers.

The Miami Herald quoted an email from Gordon's superior, Colonel David Lapan, where he characterized Gordon's complaint as "a private matter":

"From the beginning, we have considered this a personnel matter, and it's unfortunate that it has become a news story."

Commenting on the results of the Miami Herald's inquiry Howard Kurtz noted that the Miami Herald acknowledged that Rosenberg had used profanity

"We do acknowledge, as does Ms. Rosenberg, that there were contentious exchanges and unnecessary profanity on her part. As she continues this assignment, she will place an emphasis on professionalism."

Previous war coverage

In 1991 Clarence Page wrote that Rosenberg and a colleague, Susan Sachs of Newsday, were barred by U.S. Department of Defense officials from reporting on the 1st Marine Division's activity during the 1991 Gulf War.