House report: Snyder had role in ‘toxic’ Commanders culture

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Commanders created a “poisonous work tradition” for greater than twenty years, “ignoring and downplaying sexual misconduct” by males on the prime ranges of the group, in keeping with a report revealed Thursday by the U.S. Home Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Commanders proprietor Dan Snyder was concerned within the misconduct, in keeping with the report, which mentioned he inappropriately touched a former worker at a dinner, had staffers produce a video “of sexually suggestive footage of cheerleaders,” and ordered that girls who have been auditioning to be cheerleaders stroll on the sector “whereas he and his buddies gawked from his suite by means of binoculars.”

Snyder additionally interfered in an investigation that the NFL ultimately took over that stemmed from former workers alleging in 2020 rampant sexual harassment by staff executives, the report mentioned, in addition to interfering with the Home committee’s investigation by “intimidating witnesses and blocking the manufacturing of paperwork.” Snyder additionally was evasive and deceptive and mentioned greater than 100 instances when testifying to the committee that he didn’t recall issues, the report mentioned.

The NFL isn’t shielded from criticism within the report, which says the league “misled the general public about its dealing with of the Wilkinson Investigation,” “continues to attenuate office misconduct throughout the league,” “has not protected staff from sexual harassment and abuse,” and “has not sought true accountability for these accountable.”

Neither the NFL nor Snyder’s authorized staff instantly responded to messages in search of remark.

Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, who represented greater than 40 ex-Commanders workers, mentioned in a press release Thursday that the “committee’s work resulted in essential laws limiting using non-disclosure agreements, which can assist forestall such a widespread harassment from occurring in different American workplaces.”

The Home committee opened its investigation after the NFL didn’t launch a written report of legal professional Beth Wilkinson’s evaluate of the staff’s office tradition in the summertime of 2021 that resulted in a $10 million effective. That was prompted by a number of former workers saying they have been sexually harassed whereas working for the staff.

Republicans have mentioned they’d instantly drop the case as soon as they take over management of the Home early subsequent yr.

Snyder and spouse Tanya not too long ago employed Financial institution of America Securities to discover promoting half or all the staff he has owned since 1999. The Commanders are value an estimated $5.6 billion, in keeping with Forbes — a sevenfold enhance over the then-record $800 million Snyder paid for the staff in 1999.

Simply final month, the staff additionally settled with the state of Maryland, agreeing to return safety deposits to former season ticket holders and pay a $250,000 penalty.

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