After selling the Washington Commanders for $6 billion, former NFL franchise owner Daniel Snyder has experienced a number of problems since his record-setting deal. Now, the 58-year-old could potentially face an investigation from the Justice Department.
During the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability’s investigation into the Commanders’ toxic workplace culture and allegations of financial misconduct, Snyder testified in front of Congress during his July 2022 deposition.
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The federal inquiry helped lead to the NFL fining Snyder $60 million with the Oversight Committee’s final report delivering ‘damaging findings’ based on collected evidence and first-hand accounts from former employees that validated allegations of sexual misconduct and financial improprieties that were committed during Snyder’s tenure as team owner.
In the months since the final report was released, Snyder was pushed to sell his favorite team entirely and the findings resulted in the NFL conducting and completing a second investigation into Snyder. He’s also been unable to sell his Maryland mansion, even after lowering the price by $15 million.
However, it now appears that Snyder’s biggest issue still lies ahead of him with the possibility of a federal investigation brought upon thanks to his comments during his deposition.
According to Mark Maske of The Washington Post, Rep. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Md.) wrote an eight-page letter to the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability calling for the Justice Department to investigate Snyder for lying under oath and obstructing the committee’s investigation.
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Previously, the Oversight Committee report provided details backing Baskin’s claims that Snyder obstructed the investigation and many members of the committee believed Snyder lied under oath. However, following the 2022 election, Republicans took over control of the committee.
When NFL commissioner Roger Goodell testified in front of the Oversight Committee last year, Democratic members asked him about the league’s investigation into Snyder and accused Goodell of protecting NFL owners. Meanwhile, Republicans on the committee questioned Goodell for the NFL becoming “woke” in recent years. At the time, many Republicans believed the federal investigation was a waste of resources and a political stunt.
Snyder’s testimony in front of the Oversight Committee involved him denying all allegations made against him, including that he had no recollection of any inappropriate conduct towards former staffer Tiffani Johnston.
“Mr. Snyder’s statements under oath to this Committee, claiming Ms. Johnston’s allegations ‘didn’t happen’ and were ‘not true,’ as well as his assertion that ‘the whole claim is not true’ are inconsistent with the findings of Ms. White’s investigation. Mr. Snyder’s testimony to the Committee suggests a deliberate effort to provide false testimony in an effort to obstruct a Congressional investigation. These false statements are particularly troubling given that they appear to be part of a pattern of obstruction and misrepresentation that included Mr. Snyder’s efforts to smear Mr. [Jason] Friedman and his characterization of Ms. Johnston’s account as ‘outright lies,’ as well as his efforts to interfere with a prior investigation conducted by Beth Wilkinson.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin’s letter calling for the Department of Justice to investigate Daniel Snyder
With the Oversight Committee now led by Republicans, who were always against the initial federal investigation, it’s extremely unlikely that committee chair James Comer (R-Ky.) calls for the Justice Department to step in. However, there remains a possibility that the findings from the NFL and the Oversight Committee could lead to further action being taken by the FTC.