Daniel Snyder could block NFL from releasing findings into workplace probe, lawmakers say

The NFL and the Washington Commanders agreed to pursue a “joint authorized technique” within the investigation into allegations Washington franchise workers endured a poisonous office setting in 2020, federal lawmakers mentioned Friday.

The Home Committee on Oversight and Reform launched paperwork associated to the probe, exhibiting the personal settlement was signed simply days after the league mentioned it was taking on the investigation. 

The settlement mentioned any info exchanged on account of the investigation was privileged and couldn’t be shared with out consent of the franchise, previously referred to as the Washington Soccer Workforce and the Washington Redskins, and the NFL.

Workforce proprietor Daniel Snyder agreed legal professional Beth Wilkinson would produce a written report, however NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell requested Wilkinson to current an oral report as a substitute, based on lawmakers.

The Home committee urged Goodell to launch the complete findings from the Wilkinson report by Feb. 14, the day after Tremendous Bowl LVI. Lawmakers threatened an “various technique of acquiring compliance” if he doesn’t cooperate.

“The NFL should clarify why a goal of its investigation was given the flexibility to dam the discharge of the investigation’s findings and why the NFL instructed Ms. Wilkinson to reverse course and never present a written report,” lawmakers’ letter to Goodell Friday states. 

“Most significantly, the NFL should finish its months-long efforts to cover the reality about misconduct on the (Washington Soccer Workforce) and cooperate with the committee’s investigation.”

Lawmakers additionally mentioned the NFL withdrew from its common-interest settlement with the workforce in October, making a “authorized limbo” that’s stopping the discharge of the paperwork requested by Congress.

In keeping with ESPN, the paperwork launched Friday have been supplied by the NFL in its response to the lawmakers’ investigation.

WASHINGTON’S DAN SNYDER ACCUSED OF ATTEMPTING TO INTERVENE IN NFL PROBE, SILENCE WITNESSES, NEW REPORT SAYS

Snyder launched a press release by his legal professional.

“Concerning immediately’s letter from the committee to the NFL, neither Mr. Snyder nor the workforce has ever finished something to dam the committee from receiving any paperwork it has requested from the NFL that aren’t expressly protected by attorney-client privilege or legal professional work product,” the assertion mentioned.

“Lastly, all remaining non-privileged emails are being supplied to the committee shortly.”

In 2020, The Washington Put up reported that as many as 40 ladies who labored for the group got here ahead and described the workforce’s office as poisonous and demeaning towards feminine workers over the past decade. The ladies alleged that they handled sexual harassment and sexual discrimination.

5 former Washington workers recalled their harrowing time within the group in a roundtable with the Home committee Thursday.

Emily Applegate, who labored within the workforce’s advertising and marketing division, mentioned she was sexually harassed every day by her direct superior. She famous the distinction between the NFL’s probe into the Deflategate scandal.

“When the investigation of the air strain of Tom Brady’s soccer concludes with a 200-plus-page report, however the investigation into 20 years of sexual harassment concludes with nothing, it exhibits the NFL’s full lack of respect in direction of ladies, their workers and for the tradition of our nation,” Applegate mentioned.

Tiffani Johnston, who labored for the workforce eight years — she began as a cheerleader in 2002 and labored as a advertising and marketing supervisor — instructed lawmakers Snyder positioned his hand on her thigh with out her consent at a workforce dinner and pushed her towards his limousine with this hand on her decrease again.

“He left his hand on the center of my thigh till I bodily eliminated it,” Johnston mentioned.

“The one cause Dan Snyder eliminated his hand from my again and stopped pushing me in direction of his limo was as a result of his legal professional intervened and mentioned, ‘Dan, Dan, this can be a unhealthy concept.’ … I discovered that I ought to take away myself from Dan’s grip whereas his legal professional was distracting him.”

Responding to Johnston’s allegations, league spokesman Brian McCarthy mentioned, “The NFL is reviewing and can take into account Ms. Johnston’s allegations as we might every other new allegations concerning office misconduct on the Washington Commanders. We’ll decide any additional motion as acceptable.”

The NFL fined Snyder $10 million on account of the Wilkinson probe.

Snyder referred to as the allegations made Thursday “outright lies.”

“I’ve acknowledged and apologized a number of occasions prior to now for the misconduct which happened on the Workforce and the hurt suffered by a few of our valued workers,” Snyder mentioned. “I apologize once more immediately for this conduct and absolutely help the individuals who have been victimized and have come ahead to inform their tales.

“In response to studying about incidents like these in 2020, the Workforce, by itself, undertook to revamp its insurance policies, procedures and personnel. Actual change has been made, and workers of the Workforce have confirmed the huge enchancment in Workforce tradition over the previous 18 months.

“Whereas previous conduct on the Workforce was unacceptable, the allegations leveled towards me personally in immediately’s roundtable — a lot of that are nicely over 13 years previous — are outright lies. I unequivocally deny having participated in any such conduct, at any time and with respect to any individual. 

“Tanya and I cannot be distracted by these with a opposite agenda from persevering with with the optimistic personnel and cultural modifications which were made on the Workforce over the previous 18 months and those who we proceed to make each on and off the sphere.”

The Related Press contributed to this report.