Congressman Krishnamoorthi Confronts NFL Commissioner Goodell Over Lack Of Transparency, Daniel Snyder’s Alleged Sexual Misconduct And Attempts To Cover It Up

WASHINGTON – In today's hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform titled "Tackling Toxic Workplaces: Examining the NFL's Handling of Workplace Misconduct at the Washington Commanders," Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy and co-lead of the investigation, questioned NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on the lack of transparency in the NFL's investigation into misconduct at the Washington Commanders organization as well as owner Daniel Snyder's own conduct. The Congressman began his questioning of the Commissioner by noting the sparse details the League released on the Commanders investigation. The NFL's 5-page press release on its Commanders findings was dwarfed by the 96-page report it released on Ray Rice's domestic violence in 2015, the 148-page report it released on Miami Dolphins player misconduct in 2014, and its 243-page report on the Deflategate deflated footballs scandal in 2015. While Commissioner Goodell was quick to attempt to explain away the lack of a detailed public release on the Commanders investigation due to witness privacy concerns, Congressman Krishnamoorthi noted that the NFL used redactions in its report on the Miami Dolphins organization to protect the privacy of witnesses.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi then turned to the revelation on Tuesday night of the full details of a 2009 sexual assault accusation against Dan Snyder, including the team's failure to report this accusation to the NFL. In response to Krishnamoorthi's questioning, Goodell confirmed that he could not recall Snyder informing him of the allegation in 2009, despite, as Krishnamoorthi noted, the League's Personal Conduct Policy at the time already requiring that teams report all such accusations and incidents. The Congressman went on to note that the same League policy required that the NFL, rather than individual teams, investigate such allegations, meaning that Daniel Snyder and the Commanders had again violated the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy. Congressman Krishnamoorthi then turned to another allegation of sexual misconduct against Snyder from the February testimony of former Commanders cheerleader and marketing manager Tiffani Johnston. At an Oversight Committee roundtable, Johnston described under oath a work dinner at which Dan Snyder placed his hands on her thigh under the table and on her lower back before later pushing her aggressively toward his limo and asking her to ride with him. In response to the Congressman's request for him to characterize the state of the Commanders' organization, Goodell said of the team prior to the initial investigation and reforms, "I have not seen a workplace in the NFL that is anywhere near what we saw in the context of that period of time for the Washington Commanders."

""Commissioner Goodell's testimony today served as a clear reminder of the NFL's refusal to provide transparency to those concerned with protecting the League's employees or to bring accountability to those who have harmed them," said Congressman Krishnamoorthi. "While the League claims to have resolved the culture of abuse at the Washington Commanders organization, it has still refused to release the findings of the Wilkinson investigation. While I will continue to seek the full findings of the Wilkinson inquiry, I also look forward to seeing the complete findings of Mary Jo White's current investigation into the Commanders."

Footage of Congressman Krishnamoorthi's opening statement is available here and his questioning of Commissioner Goodell can be viewed here.

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