A former chairman for the House Oversight Committee claims the ongoing investigation into the Washington Commanders is an attempt to destroy team owner Daniel Snyder and his family with innuendo and half-truths.
The Commanders’ organization has been dogged by multiple investigations for months. It all started with Congress deciding to look into new allegations of workplace sexual misconduct within the franchise during Snyder’s ownership of the team. The inquiry followed a previous examination by the NFL that did not seem to correct the questionable behavior of high-ranking officials in the organization.
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The Committee’s investigation discovered more than just inappropriate workplace conduct, however. It also uncovered some dubious financial dealings by the team as well. Those findings led to new investigations by the SEC, and several attorney generals in the region. It has put Snyder in a position where there is some doubt he will remain the team’s boss when the Committee investigation concludes. Which is expected to happen this fall and include an in-depth report on the various findings.
House Committee says Washington Commanders owner attempting to attack and intimidate former employees
Yet, one-time Congressman Ben Davis, a former chairman of the Committee claims the investigation is basing its discoveries on questionable testimony. On Thursday, ESPN obtained a letter Davis sent to the Committee with various claims about the failings in the ongoing examination of the team.
“The investigation of the Washington Commanders has not been fair, thorough, or bipartisan, and it certainly hasn’t sought the truth,” Davis wrote in his letter to current Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney. “From the beginning, the Committee set out with a singular purpose — to destroy Dan Snyder and his family and attempt, with deception, innuendo, and half-truths, to drive him from the National Football League.”
Ben Davis letter to Oversight Committee
ESPN claims the letter includes exhibits that were being used to discredit several of the witnesses that testified. Davis asserted in his letter that the Committee did not speak to current members of the organization to see if a change had occurred since the NFL’s previous examination and that the former employees that testified were “embittered by their enforced separation from the team.” Including former team president Bruce Allen.
One important key factor in this rebuke of the investigation is the fact that Davis works for the law firm Holland & Knight, which is currently representing the team.
In a statement in response to Davis’ claims, the Committee said: “The Commanders’ owner has recently claimed to have turned over a new leaf, this latest effort to attack and intimidate former employees who have come forward casts doubt on this assertion — as does the team’s continued efforts to block the production of documents to the Committee. The Committee’s investigation will not be deterred by such tactics.”