From Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08)’s office, also signed by Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11), Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA10), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Rep. Anthony Brown (D-MD) and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC):
National Capital Region Delegation To Goodell: Release The Report
June 16, 2022 (Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Anthony Brown (D-MD), and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today wrote to National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell urging publication of the investigation led by Beth Wilkinson into the Washington Commanders’ workplace environment. Their request came ahead of a planned June 22nd hearing by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform examining the “Washington Commanders’ Hostile Workplace Culture.” Commanders’ owner Dan Snyder has indicated he will refuse the Committee’s request that he testify at the hearing.
They wrote:
“Ahead of the June 22, 2022 House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on the Washington Commanders’ hostile workplace culture, we urge you to release the results of the third-party investigation conducted by Beth Wilkinson. As members representing the National Capital Region, our constituents were primarily impacted by the toxic work environment perpetrated by the Commanders and as such, deserve the transparency from the National Football League (NFL) to share the findings of the internal review.
…
“Our constituents deserve to know the findings of the Wilkinson investigation, so that the Washington Commanders, including Mr. Snyder, can be properly held to account for the horrific behavior that occurred. Moreover, we are extremely disappointed Mr. Snyder has declined to testify at the June 22 hearing.
“We encourage the NFL and the Washington Commanders to do the right thing ahead of the June hearing and release the report. There is an opportunity for the NFL and the Commanders to lead by example, not by attempting to silence victims, but by ensuring this type of rampant abuse is not tolerated going forward.”
Text of the Representatives’ letter follows below and a signed copy is available here.
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Dear Mr. Goodell:
Ahead of the June 22, 2022 House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on the Washington Commanders’ hostile workplace culture, we urge you to release the results of the third-party investigation conducted by Beth Wilkinson. As members representing the National Capital Region, our constituents were primarily impacted by the toxic work environment perpetrated by the Commanders and as such, deserve the transparency from the National Football League (NFL) to share the findings of the internal review.
As you know, over the last two years, media reports have shed light on the team’s workplace culture, which included rampant sexual harassment and verbal abuse by top executives.[1][2] Because of these reports, the Washington Commanders hired attorney Beth Wilkinson in July 2020 to independently investigate the workplace culture. After its conclusion in July 2021, the NFL fined the team $10 million for the unsavory findings of Ms. Wilkinson’s investigation. However, the NFL failed to request a written report from Ms. Wilkinson and have since refused to release detailed findings of her investigation because of the alleged “sensitivity of the allegations.”[3]
At a roundtable held by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform in February of this year, six former Washington Commanders employees shared their stories of the toxic workplace culture with the committee. The roundtable participants discussed the Washington Commanders’ and the NFL’s failure to address the abuse taking place. It is clear from their portrayals, that the pervasive workplace misconduct has left sizable impacts on those who suffered from it over the last several years. Additionally, there are other employees who have yet to detail their experiences, due to non-disclosure agreements preventing them from speaking out against the Commanders’ toxic work environment.
Our constituents deserve to know the findings of the Wilkinson investigation, so that the Washington Commanders, including Mr. Snyder, can be properly held to account for the horrific behavior that occurred. Moreover, we are extremely disappointed Mr. Snyder has declined to testify at the June 22 hearing.[4]
We encourage the NFL and the Washington Commanders to do the right thing ahead of the June hearing and release the report. There is an opportunity for the NFL and the Commanders to lead by example, not by attempting to silence victims, but by ensuring this type of rampant abuse is not tolerated going forward.
Thank you and we look forward to release of the report.
Sincerely,
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