On Thursday, the House Oversight Committee released its final findings of an investigation into owner Daniel Snyder and the Washington Commanders over multiple allegations of workplace misconduct.
Said investigation has lasted well over the past calendar year and has included the embattled owner being forced to testify in front of Congress. In its findings, the committee came to the conclusion that Snyder obstructed its inquiry and attempted to intimidate witnesses. It also finds that Snyder “permitted and participated” in a “toxic work culture” within the Commanders organization.
“The results of the Committee’s investigation, as laid out in this report, are clear: sexual harassment, bullying, and other toxic conduct pervaded the workplace at the Washington Commanders and were perpetuated by a culture of fear instilled by the Team’s owner.
The NFL, through the investigation conducted by Mr. Wilkinson, was aware that Mr. Snyder and other Team executives not only failed to stop this misconduct but engaged in it themselves.”
Congressional report on Daniel Snyder and the Washington Commanders
There’s been multiple accusations against Snyder himself come up over the course of investigations conducted by both the NFL and the House Oversight Committee. This lays out what the latter believes happened behind the scenes in D.C.
Here are some more findings from the Committee’s inquiry.
- Several former Commanders employees were harmed by this toxic culture over the course of at least the past two decades.
- Daniel Snyder attempted to corrupt the investigation by conducting a shadow investigation while trying to silence former employees.
The attorneys for those representing the north of 40 former Commanders employees also released a statement on the findings.
“Today, after a lengthy and wide-ranging investigation, the Committee on Oversight and Reform issued a comprehensive report that definitively details not only the extensive sexual harassment that occurred, but also owner Dan Snyder’s involvement in that sexual harassment and his efforts to obstruct the various investigations into that scandal.
The report also reveals the NFL’s shameless efforts to cover up the wrongdoing and protect Mr. Snyder at all costs. In addition to creating a public record of what had been hidden for decades, the Committee’s work resulted in important legislation limiting the use of non-disclosure agreements, which will help prevent this type of widespread harassment from happening in other American workplaces.”
Statement from former Washington Commanders employees
Related: Candidates to buy the Washington Commanders from Daniel Snyder
Where Daniel Snyder stands after the House Oversight Committee report
There’s no further action that can be taken here. The inquiry and Thursday’s final report, however, can be utilized by authorities looking into making potential criminal charges stick against Snyder and those allegedly involved.
It also must be noted that the D.C. Attorney General has filed multiple civil lawsuits against Snyder and the Commanders in recent months. Though, these lawsuits have to do with alleged financial misdoings on the part of the owner and his organization.
As for what we’re hearing from the Republican side following Thursday’s report, they’re indicating that the left side of the aisle is playing politics with this.
“No foundation exists for conducting congressional oversight of the Team. Simply put, Congress cannot provide any additional relief or remedies to any of the aggrieved parties. Why, then, has the Committee investigated a professional football team and targeted an individual team owner? Committee Democrats have chosen to weaponize the power of Congress against a single private workplace.”
GOP memo on findings regarding Daniel Snyder and the Commanders
Regardless, Snyder announced his intention to sale the Commanders earlier in the 2022 calendar year. He’s likely going to be out of his role at some point soon.
The only question here is whether he will face criminal charges. Thursday’s report does nothing to change that dynamic. And as for any future Congressional inquiries, that’s not going to happen once the GOP takes control of the lower chamber next month. They have made that pretty clear.