Tanya Snyder

House Oversight Committee Concludes Investigation Into Dan Snyder, Commanders

December 8th, 2022 at 11:50am CST by Sam Robinson

The House Oversight Committee’s 14-month investigation into Dan Snyder and his franchise has led to multiple other ongoing probes, which have produced the loudest noise about a potential Commanders sale. The Oversight Committee’s investigation is now complete, with a final report surfacing Thursday.

The report accuses Snyder of permitting and participating in a longtime toxic workplace culture and obstructing the Committee’s investigation. In addition to dodging a Committee subpoena this summer, the Commanders owner is accused of making an effort to intimidate and dissuade witnesses from testifying. Snyder, 57, also offered hush money to several former Washington employees during Beth Wilkinson’s NFL investigation last year, according to the Committee.

Thursday’s report also links Snyder and the Commanders to playing the lead role in the fall 2021 email leak that led to Jon Gruden‘s Raiders resignation. Former Washington team president Bruce Allen said Lisa Friel, the league’s special counsel for investigations, indicated the email leak came from Snyder’s franchise and not the NFL, according to the report. Dan Snyder’s wife, Tanya, who had taken over the franchise’s day-to-day operations after Wilkinson’s investigation last summer, said at the October 2021 owners’ meetings neither she nor her husband was behind the leaked emails, per the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala, Mark Maske and Liz Clarke. Gruden has since sued the NFL, which had previously denied being behind the leak. Thursday’s report marked a key development on that front, among others.

Allen also informed the Committee that Snyder had spoken about hiring private investigators to gather intel on Roger Goodell. Reports of Snyder obtaining damaging information on Goodell and other owners started a firestorm at this latest set of owners’ meetings, which featured Jim Irsay championing an unprecedented ouster of an NFL owner and saying 24 votes to remove Snyder might be there. Shortly after Irsay’s comments, the longtime Washington owner denied hiring firms to gather dirt on other owners.

The Committee accused the NFL of assisting Snyder’s franchise in covering up Wilkinson’s report. The league is believed to have initially called for a written report to be released but later reversed course. Last year’s NFL investigation brought a $10MM Snyder fine and a de facto suspension, but Snyder is believed to no longer be under any restrictions regarding his role with the Commanders. No summary of Wilkinson’s findings led to the Oversight Committee probe and another NFL investigation. Mary Jo White’s inquiry is set to come with a report of the findings.

“We saw efforts that we have never seen before, at least I haven’t,” said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, the Committee chairwoman (via ESPN.com’s Tisha Thompson). “The NFL knew about it and they took no responsibility. [The NFL was] acting like they were doing something. Then they turn around and fix it so [Wilkinson] can’t talk.”

Accusing Snyder of instilling a “culture of fear,” the Committee concluded sexual harassment, bullying, “and other toxic conduct pervaded the Commanders workplace.” Included are a number of former employees’ accounts, with the Committee indicating this run of inappropriate conduct occurred for “more than two decades.” More than 100 former team employees spoke about various aspects of this culture to the Committee. Snyder has owned the team since 1999.

The previously reported shadow investigations Snyder was accused of conducting of former employees during the Wilkinson inquiry surface again here. Snyder sent private investigators to homes of former employees, including Allen. The report also includes accounts from former cheerleaders and a video staffer, the latter saying Washington execs commissioned him to produce a video for the owner featuring “sexually suggestive footage of [the team’s] cheerleaders.”

A statement from Commanders counsel John Brownlee and Stuart Nash (via Jhabvala, on Twitter) accuses the Committee of taking a “one-sided approach” and produced a conclusion that “does not advance public knowledge of the Washington Commanders workplace in any way.” The NFL’s latest investigation into Snyder and the Commanders, centered around workplace toxicity and financial improprieties, is ongoing. As are the other investigations the Oversight Committee’s probe launched. A number of prospective bidders for the Commanders have surfaced over the past several weeks.

Latest On Dan Snyder’s Status With WFT

July 3rd, 2021 at 3:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL opted not to suspend Washington Football Team owner Dan Snyder, and the league’s lengthy investigation into sexual harassment allegations by 15 former WFT female employees did not produce a written report of investigator Beth Wilkinson’s findings. Although the league fined the franchise $10MM after the investigation revealed a problematic culture, particular toward women, its handling of this matter has generated some scrutiny.

Snyder’s status has also invited some debate. The longtime owner is currently sidelined from a day-to-day role with the franchise, ceding those responsibilities to his wife, new WFT co-CEO Tanya Snyder. A Washington Post report Thursday night indicated Dan Snyder will not be permitted to return to a day-to-day role running the team until he receives approval from Roger Goodell, but Snyder’s attorney disputes this.

“Any suggestion that Commissioner Goodell must approve Dan Snyder’s return to daily control is false,” Siev said, via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). “Dan was not suspended, so by definition he does not need to be reinstated to any position.”

Siev’s comments did not induce the Post to make any retractions on its original report (via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk). Snyder may still attend Washington games, but his role going forward is murky.

The NFL’s stance appears to be that Dan Snyder will be effectively sidelined for a while. The league’s release said Tanya Snyder will oversee the day-to-day aspects of the Washington Football team and represent the franchise at league meetings for “at least” the next several months. Based on his attorney’s comments, Dan Snyder may be readying to contest this arrangement.

Latest On WFT Owner Dan Snyder, NFL Investigation

July 1st, 2021 at 7:46pm CST by Ben Levine

Earlier today, we learned that the NFL slapped the Washington Football Team with a $10MM fine following the league’s investigation into sexual harassment allegations. Following the announcement, commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement:

“I want to thank Beth Wilkinson and her team for conducting a thorough and independent review of the Washington club’s workplace culture and conduct and providing both the club and me with a series of thoughtful recommendations based on her findings,” Goodell said (via NFL.com). “Beth and her team performed their work in a highly professional and ethical manner. Most importantly, I want to thank the current and former employees who spoke to Beth and her team; they provided vital information that will help ensure that the workplace environment at the club continues to improve. It is incredibly difficult to relive painful memories. I am grateful to everyone who courageously came forward.”

We also learned that while the NFL didn’t suspended owner Dan Snyder, his wife, co-CEO Tanya Snyder, will now oversee the organization’s day-to-day operations. The decision to replace Dan Snyder with Tanya Snyder was “voluntary” and wasn’t mandated by the league, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. However, Mark Maske of the Washington Post clarifies (on Twitter) that Dan Snyder can only return to his day-to-day role following approval from Goodell. In the meantime, while Dan Snyder won’t be responsible for the team’s day-to-day operations, he’ll still play a role in getting the organization a new stadium (per Garafolo).

Meanwhile, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com tweets that the NFL won’t unveil any specific findings, as the league promised multiple interviewees that their “confidentiality would be protected.” Later, Florio shared that lawyers of the WFT employees blasted the league’s lack of transparency.

NFL Fines Washington Football Team $10MM

July 1st, 2021 at 2:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

A lengthy investigation into the sexual harassment allegations of 15 former Washington Football Team employees led to a financial penalty Thursday. The NFL fined the WFT $10MM, according to a league announcement. The fine will be donated to charity.

Washington will not be docked draft picks or see executives suspended, but independent counsel Beth Wilkinson’s investigation will result in this fine and what the NFL calls “other remedial measures and penalties.” It will also impact owner Dan Snyder‘s role.

The NFL did not suspend Dan Snyder, but his wife — co-CEO Tanya Snyder — will now oversee the franchise’s day-to-day operations, according to the league’s announcement. Tanya Snyder will also represent the WFT at NFL owners meetings for the next several months. The WFT announced Tanya Snyder as co-CEO last month. Dan Snyder will remain involved with the team, though it is not known when he will resume day-to-day control.

The accusations, which included “unwelcome overtures or comments of a sexual nature” and “exhortations to wear revealing clothing and flirt with clients to close sales deals” stemmed from 2006-19. Three former members of Dan Snyder’s inner circle and previous members of the team’s personnel department were among those accused.

Washington’s workplace featured an unprofessional environment, for women in particular, for many years, according to the NFL-overseen investigation, which noted that bullying and intimidation occurred. Wilkinson also concluded senior WFT execs were indeed among the perpetrators and that ownership rarely acted to intervene.

“I have learned a lot in the past few months about how my club operated and the kind of workplace we had,” Dan Snyder said in a statement. “It is now clear the culture was not what it should be, but I did not realize the extent of the problems or my role in allowing that culture to develop and continue.”