Congress Considers Next Steps in Investigating Harassment of Washington Football Employees
WASHINGTON — Political pressure is mounting against the Washington Commanders as Congress considers its next steps while reviewing allegations of sexual abuse by the football team’s top management.
The National Football League this week delivered documents for a congressional investigation into alleged sexual harassment and bullying of Washington Commanders cheerleaders and other employees.
The documents were sought by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which said in a statement that its staff is reviewing them.
Some lawmakers on the committee are casting doubt on whether the documents they received reflect the entirety of the NFL’s evidence because of the “Common Interest Agreement” signed by league officials and team owner Dan Snyder.
Under the agreement, Snyder is given final authority over which information is released, despite the fact he is one of the persons facing accusations.
“I think they are hiding something massive,” sports commentator Mike Florio said this week on his podcast. He speculated Congress might seek a subpoena against Snyder.
He also claimed to have information the NFL is pressuring Snyder to sell the team.
“He’s not giving this team up voluntarily,” Florio said.
The documents sought by the congressional committee come from a 10-month investigation by Washington, D.C., attorney Beth Wilkinson. She was hired by the NFL to check into the allegations after whistleblower reports published in the media.
Initially, the NFL and Snyder declined to release details of Wilkinson’s investigation under a claim they were trying to protect the privacy and security of witnesses.
The news reports that began with The Washington Post in 2020 already gave strong indications about what the investigation revealed. It included interviews with female employees who described pervasive mistreatment.
The NFL fined the team $10 million. Snyder temporarily turned over control of the team to his wife.
An NFL statement said when it levied the fine that none of the staff members accused of wrongdoing still worked for the team.
During a roundtable discussion this month with members of Congress, former employee Tiffany Johnston disagreed. She said Snyder sexually harassed her.
Snyder denied the allegations.
Before the disclosure deadline this week, the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell that questioned whether the league was trying to protect the privacy of witnesses with its reluctance to turn over investigative evidence.
“The committee’s investigation and the NFL’s own legal documents raise serious doubts about this justification,” the letter says.
Meanwhile, several of Snyder’s accusers have started an online campaign urging the team’s corporate sponsors to drop their sponsorships.
The Washington Commanders, who received their new name this month, were formerly known as the Washington Football Team and the Washington Redskins.
Tom can be reached at [email protected].
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