In a letter sent to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, lawyers asked more than a dozen former Washington Football Team employees to conduct an independent investigation into allegations of sexual harassment during their time at the organization and that owner Daniel Snyder was suspended pending ‘ the outcome.
On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported additional allegations of sexual harassment within the organization and that a former team director instructed staff to make a behind-the-scenes video for Snyder with clips of the team’s partially naked cheerleaders pulled from a ‘shoot’ the calendar in 2008.
In a statement Wednesday, Goodell condemned the behavior and cited an independent investigation. Based on Goodell’s input, Snyder chose attorney Beth Wilkinson to address it.
The lawyers who sent the letter to Goodell, Lisa Banks and Debra Katz also said Snyder as owner should be removed if the investigation supports the claims of former employees.
The Post said 25 former employees came forward for their latest report, joining 15 others who were part of a story in the newspaper last month detailing other allegations against former Washington executives.
“This statement and the action you are taking just to monitor the progress of the team’s investigation is too bad and too late,” read the three-page letter. “It does not reflect the seriousness of the allegations, which we now know to include the production of a highly sexualized and exploitative video that could lead to civil or criminal liability for those responsible.
“Daniel Snyder is allowed to lead an organization that is riddled with misogyny, sexual harassment and routine abuse of female employees with impunity.”
Snyder vehemently denied the accusation in the Post story, saying in a statement Wednesday night that the report was a “hit job,” while describing the behavior described “has no place in our franchise, or in our society.” He said he was unaware of the allegations and took responsibility for the culture in the building.
During a video call with reporters Thursday, Washington first-year coach Ron Rivera said the organization “takes these allegations seriously.”
“We will wait until we get results from the investigation and if more action needs to be taken, we will take it,” Rivera said. “A lot of things happened before I came here and a lot has happened since I came here. I like to deal with those things that have happened by moving forward. I understand it, I understand it, but we need some change “And that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to change some things. We’re changing the way we do things. We’re changing the culture. A lot of them are the people who are brought into the organization.”
Washington recently hired Julie Donaldson as senior vice president of media and communications, and she will also be the first woman to be part of an NFL team’s radio broadcast. The team hired Jason Wright last week, making him the first Black president in the NFL.
Rivera said all he can control is what goes on ahead.
“These are things that happened a long time ago that hopefully we have learned from,” Rivera said. “We are trying to correct and we are trying to create a culture that is a winning, sustainable culture that is the right one that people want to be a part of. We will work on that.”
Banks and Katz wrote that the NFL should stop Snyder based on the NFL’s code of conduct, saying that his and the organization’s actions “were detrimental to the well-being of the League or professional football.” They said their clients “live in fear of further retaliation” by Snyder, who they say the legal system has weapons to punish accusers.
Snyder accused, in a request for discovery, former employee Mary Ellen Blair of spreading rumors and false stories.
“The time is long overdue for the NFL to police this kind of behavior and act decisively to punish those in its ranks,” reads the letter, “like Daniel Snyder, who allows women to be repeatedly exploited and abused as a privilege to be a rich and powerful NFL team owner. “
Banks and Katz also urged Goodell to demand that Washington release former employees from statements on statements and to ensure that Snyder does not take punitive action against those involved in the investigation.
“These are things that happened a long time ago that hopefully we have learned from,” Rivera said. “We are trying to correct and we are trying to create a culture that is a winning, sustainable culture that is the right one that people want to be a part of. We will work on that.”
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