(Ashburn) The U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Reform Committee invited NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder to appear before Congress later this month, as part of the investigation into the conduct of the team in the workplace.
Posted yesterday at 8:28 p.m.
President Carolyn B. Maloney and Economic and Consumer Policy Subcommittee Chairman Raja Krishnamoorthi said Wednesday they have sent letters to the league and the club requesting Goodell’s attendance and Snyder on June 22.
There is a blur as to whether the committee actually expects to welcome at least one of the two. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league has received an invitation and “will respond directly in due course.” »
“The NFL has been cooperating very closely with the committee’s lengthy investigation into the Commanders. We produced documents totaling over 460,000 pages. We also answered many questions in writing and in conversations with committee staff,” added McCarthy.
A spokeswoman for the Commanders said they have worked with the NFL to cooperate with the committee. Echoing the words of the league, she added that they will respond to the invitation in and place.
Congress launched a corporate culture probe in October after the league declined to report last year on an independent investigation that led to a $10 million fine. to the team.
The committee described an upcoming hearing as the next step in the investigation and said it will examine how the NFL handles allegations of workplace misconduct and how guidelines are established and followed for all clubs.
“We need to be transparent and take responsibility, which is why we’re calling on Mr. Goodell and Mr. Snyder to answer the questions they’ve been dodging for seven months,” Maloney said in a statement.
“The hearing will explore how Congress can act to stop employers from silencing victims of workplace misconduct and ensure that what happened with the Commanders doesn’t happen again.” »
Krishnamoorthi said the committee had been bogged down for seven months by non-disclosure agreements for former employees and other tools to avoid accountability.
In the summer of 2020, Snyder hired attorney Beth Wilkinson to investigate allegations of workplace misconduct after several former employees made claims about the work environment. The league has taken control of this investigation, which ended last summer.