Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is one of the few allies Washington Commanders Daniel Snyder still has in the NFL. In the wake of a 79-page report stemming from a federal investigation into Snyder, Jones is defending his close friend.
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform released its final report from its long investigation into the Commanders’ toxic culture under Snyder.
Related: House Oversight Committee report on Daniel Snyder
In that investigation, which included hours of interviews with current and former team officials, the committee found that Snyder “permitted and participated” in the team’s toxic culture that enabled sexual harassment and he constructed a 14-month congressional investigation.
The NFL also came under scrutiny, with commissioner Roger Goodell and Snyder’s peers accused of protecting the Commanders’ owner. Furthermore, the House Oversight Committee’s report said the NFL buried the findings of an independent investigation into Snyder.
Jones, who has come to Snyder’s defense in the past and said the allegations against him of sexual harassment and assault are baseless, is now defending the Commanders’ owner once more.
Related: Daniel Snyder sets staggering ‘magic number’ for Washington Commanders’ sale
In an interview on 105.3 The Fan’s “K&C Masterpiece” show, Jones blasted the “politically biased” investigation and said previous minority stakeholders in Commanders were responsible for the claims against Snyder.
“First of all, I hope our fans see how politically biased this report is. This report doesn’t even come out if the Republicans were in Congress. It’s that stupid. And, so, my point is there’s biasness all the way through. There are stories behind the stories. The facts are that Mr. Snyder’s minority partners really went out a long way to try and make him sell. He ended up buying them out, but a lot of this is that. A lot of the testimony, I was involved firsthand. I was among the handful of owners that looked at all of the transcripts, that looked at all of the messages, that looked at all of the data.”
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on House Oversight Committe’s investigation into Daniel Snyder (H/T Doug Farrar of The Touchdown Wire)
Washington Commanders, Jerry Jones respond to HOC report
Both the Commanders’ organization and Snyder have pushed back against the investigation for more than a year. Washington’s franchise owner believes it’s tied to Jeff Bezos’ interest in buying the team, leading to his belief the Washington Post is assailing his character.
Related: Jerry Jones defends Daniel Snyder from allegations
Snyder ducked questioning from the Democratic-led committee for months, using his yacht in international waters to avoid a subpoena. He was also accused of leaking the emails that led to Jon Gruden’s resignation and for allegedly hiring a private investigator to follow and dig up dirt on Goodell and former team president Bruce Allen.
“This attorney is on a campaign, the woman attorney, to stop having settlements when you have workplace settlements. That’s another issue, but that’s a part of why this has the front that it has. And, so, there’s a lot more there. I will say this: I’m proud of what the Cowboys have done. We have an excellent [ER] department, excellent. They have been for years. We have committees of employees — I’m not on it, my family’s not on it — and we have thoroughly been involved in a long time trying to improve our workplace. Do we have room for improvement all over? Of course, we do. Everybody does. I’m proud of where we are.”
Jerry Jones on what he believes influenced the investigation into Daniel Snyder
Republican members of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform released a memo in response to the 79-page report, calling the investigation a “sham” and a waste of taxpayer money by harassing a private business.
Ultimately, it comes as no surprise that Jones is defending the owner he has had a close relationship with for decades. While there is growing support for Snyder’s removal, one of the most prominent and powerful voices in the league remains adamantly opposed.