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An empty chair designated for “Mr. Snyder “confronted members of the House Oversight and Reform Committee at Wednesday’s hearing on the hostile culture of the Washington Commanders’ workplace, and soon President Carolyn B. Maloney (DN.Y.) he made the symbolism clear by announcing plans to issue a subpoena to force owner Daniel Snyder to testify next week.
“Instead of presenting himself and taking responsibility for his actions, he chose to jump out of town,” Maloney said during the hearing, noting that Snyder’s yacht was in France, with the owner presumably on board instead of Capitol Hill. “That should tell you how much you respect women in the workplace.”
With Snyder absent, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell answered questions for 2 1/2 hours about his understanding of allegations of widespread sexual harassment in the team’s workplace under Snyder, as well as League. When asked to characterize what he had learned about the commanders’ environment, Goodell, who testified remotely from New York, said he had not seen a culture “close” as bad as Washington’s during its four decades. in the NFL.
But Goodell stood firm in his refusal to disclose the findings of a league-sponsored investigation into commanders conducted by attorney Beth Wilkinson, and reiterated that the NFL had promised confidentiality to the 150 former employees who left. describe episodes of sexual harassment and degrading treatment.
Daniel Snyder conducted a “shadow investigation” of the accusers, according to the panel
Several panel members considered Goodell’s justification to be unsatisfactory.
“That’s false,” Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) Told Goodell. “Survivors have asked you to publish the report.”
Deputy Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) Later asked Goodell why the names of those who testified but asked for anonymity could not be drafted. Raskin noted that this is how the NFL handled privacy issues when it published a 148-page report on harassment of the Miami Dolphins in 2014.
“Writing doesn’t always work in my world,” Goodell replied.
Goodell said the NFL had properly disciplined Snyder as a result of his investigation, and noted the $ 10 million fine assessed on the team, as well as Snyder’s pause to handle the day’s affairs. day. Goodell also praised the transformation of the organization following the allegations.
“To be clear,” said Goodell, whose face was projected on large screens in the Capitol Hill courtroom, “the commanders’ workplace today doesn’t look like the workplace that s ‘described to this committee “.
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) Asked Goodell if Snyder or the team had reported the league to a 2009 sexual assault complaint against Snyder that resulted in a $ 1.6 million deal. dollars with a former employee. The Washington Post reported on Tuesday details of an employee’s claim that Snyder sexually assaulted her during a flight on her private jet in April 2009, three months before the team agreed to pay for the confidential agreement. In a 2020 court hearing, Snyder called the woman’s claims “unfair.”
Goodell said: “I don’t remember him reporting it [the league] of that, no. “
The hybrid proceedings, with some lawmakers in the courtroom and others remotely participating, were marked by bitterness, sharp partisan division, and periodic rebellion, with Maloney at one point hammered. repeatedly in a futile effort to silence MP Byron Donalds (R). -Fla.), Who repeatedly asked, “What is the purpose of this hearing?” As Maloney tried to move on, Donalds said, “You can hit the hammer anything you want, but I don’t really care.”
Exclusive: The document reveals details of the 2009 sexual assault charge against Daniel Snyder
According to Maloney, the value of research is twofold: highlighting one of the most visible jobs in the country (the Washington NFL team) as an example of how its executives should not treat employees and develop a legislation designed to protect all American workers from similar abuse. .
“For more than two decades, Dan Snyder refused to protect the women who worked for him from the toxic culture he created,” Maloney said in his initial statement. “The NFL has not been able to protect these women either. Now I think it’s up to Congress to protect them and millions more like them.”
But for MP James Comer (R-Ky.), The main member of the panel’s minority party, and many of his fellow Republicans, the investigation represents a waste of taxpayers ‘money and committee members’ time.
“We are holding hearings and monitoring the crises affecting Americans today: high inflation for 40 years, soaring gasoline prices, formula for out-of-stock babies, furious border crisis, rising fentanyl overdoses, and our stock market, ”Comer said. .
Deputy Virginia Foxx (RN.C.) echoed Comer’s comment.
“As we sit here today, families are wondering how to pay for gas, groceries, and find formula for their babies,” said Foxx, who described the commanders’ affairs as “the last thing on the minds of northerners.” Americans “.
Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (DN.Y.) announced a subpoena for the owner of the Washington Commanders during a June 22 hearing investigating the team’s “toxic” workplace. (Video: Reuters, Photo: Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post / Reuters)
Wednesday’s hearing was the next step in an eight-month investigation fueled by the NFL’s refusal to reveal details of Wilkinson’s findings.
It was preceded by the publication by the committee of some 700 pages of documents related to his work: depositions, transcribed interviews and a 29-page summary setting out how Snyder, through a team of lawyers, and private investigators, cast a “shadow.” investigation ”in an effort to discredit his accusers and divert the blame for unbridled misconduct in the team’s workplace. At the heart of this “shadow investigation,” according to the committee’s findings, was the creation of an illustrated 100-file “slide” aimed at former employers, their lawyers and Washington Post journalists that Snyder he perceived them as enemies.
The committee also found that Snyder led an effort to find derogatory information about former team president Bruce Allen that he could use to convince the NFL and Wilkinson that Allen, not Snyder, was responsible for the toxic culture of the equipment. Snyder fired Allen after 10 years in December 2019.
To that end, attorneys working for Snyder reviewed more than 400,000 emails on Allen’s idle computer account, looking for anything “inappropriate” and then shared that information with the NFL and Wilkinson. He also hired private investigators to visit the homes of former entertainers and ask them if they were aware of any “sexual misconduct” involving Allen.
Since the first report of rampant sexual harassment within the team in July 2020, Snyder has been the victim of an orchestrated plot to defame and extort him. He also said his only failure as an NFL owner was to have been “too hands-free,” adding that once he became aware of the problems, he fired all the bad actors.
Maloney closed the audience with a message for Snyder.
“We will not deter billionaire owners and political attitudes,” he said. “Victims demand answers, and we all demand justice.”
Committee members then said they would act swiftly to secure Snyder’s testimony and that he would face speedy punishment if denied.
“Touching your nose in Congress is not a good strategy,” said Krishnamoorthi, who has helped lead the investigation.
Snyder twice rejected the committee’s invitation to testify, saying through his lawyer that he had a “long-term business dispute” abroad on Wednesday and that he had other concerns about due process and fairness. He indicated that before agreeing to appear before the commission he wanted a guarantee that all questions asked would be restricted to the “historical culture” of the team. He also asked, through his lawyer, for the identities of all those who spoke to the committee about him or the team and the background of the interviews.
Speier predicted that Snyder would refuse to testify and the House would vote to consider him out of contempt in Congress.
“He’s arrogant enough that he’ll probably be despised,” Speier said. “That’s my guess.”
Nicki Jhabvala contributed to this report.