Daniel Snyder investigations explained What to know about D.C. attorney generals

The Commanders and owner Daniel Snyder once again find themselves in the spotlight of an investigation from the government.On Nov. 10, 2022, Washington, D.C. attorney general Karl Racine announced his office would be against the Commanders, Snyder, the NFL and NFL commi sioner Roger Goodell of misleading the public regarding the investigation into workplace hara sment within the Commanders’ organization.Racine said the reason for the civil case is that the defendants the Commanders, Snyder, the NFL and Goodell tried to deceive D.C. residents about the investigation into the Commanders’ workplace hara sment allegations.»The defendants lied about what they knew, and then the defendants lied about what they were going to do about it, Racine said.MORE:Two of the Commanders’ attorneys John Brownlee and Stuart Nash responded to the lawsuit, saying that Daniel Snyder and his wife, Tanya Snyder, acknowledged the «unacceptable workplace culture» with the team over the years and apologized for what happened. However, the attorneys called out the lawsuit as filled with «half-truths and lies.»»We agree with AG Racine on one thing: the public needs to know the truth,» Bronwlee and Nash said in the statement. «Although the lawsuit repeats a lot of innuendo, half-truths and lies, we welcome this opportunity to defend the organization for the first time in a court of law and to establish, once and for all, what is fact and what is fiction.»Statement from John Brownlee and Stuart Nash, two attorneys for the Washington Commanders: Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) said the league rejects the «legally unsound and factually basele s allegations made today» by Racine and said the league will «vigorously defend against those claims.»»The independent investigation into workplace misconduct at the Washington Commanders was thoroughly and comprehensively conducted by Beth Wilkinson and her law firm,» McCarthy said in the statement. «Following the completion of the investigation, the NFL made public a summary of Ms. Wilkinson’s findings and imposed a record-setting fine against the club and its ownership.»Here’s what you need to know about the investigation:The Commanders faced a lengthy investigation into claims of workplace hara sment, during which Snyder often claimed he had no knowledge of any sexual Justyn Ross Jersey hara sment or bullying. The findings of the official report were never publicized, though the NFL released a statement summarizing why it was fining the team $10 million.Racine said the NFL hid the results of the investigation and that both the team and the league made statements that misconduct within the Washington organization was limited and that they had cooperated with the investigation. However, Racine said these were false statements designed to protect the Commanders brand to try and mislead consumers and maintain support for the team and the league. Racine said the NFL and Snyder entered into an agreement that allowed Snyder to veto the release of results of the investigation.During his pre s conference, Racine detailed the franchise’s workplace culture and said that Snyder engaged in the activity himself, saying that he was not only aware of the misconduct that was going on, but he «encouraged it and participated in it.»Snyder exerted high level of personal control over everything Commanders did and his misconduct gave others permi sion to treat women in the same demeaning manor,» Racine said.Racine said he wants a court order to force the findings of the 10-month investigation into the Commanders’ workplace culture to be released. In addition, there will be subpoenas and testimonies under oath.Racine explained the consumer protection act is «broad» and said that it is «valid and lawful» and has been the result of restitution in several cases. He said the goal of the lawsuit is «accountability.» The office is seeking financial penalties for the times the Commanders, NFL, Goodell or Snyder misled D.C. residents, but he did not give a dollar estimate at the pre s conference.The latest investigations opened into the Commanders and Snyder add to a mounting pile of allegations faced by Washington.Back in 2018, that five former Washington cheerleaders were sexually hara sed and intimidated by the team during a swimsuit calendar photo shoot in Costa Rica. The cheerleaders told the Times they were required to be tople s for photographs despite the calendar not displaying nudity. There were several sponsors and FedEx Field suit holders in attendance, and the cheerleaders were later a signed to go to a nightclub with several of the male sponsors, per the report.Two years later, a with allegations from more than 40 women, who had worked for the team, claiming that they experienced sexual hara sment and verbal abuse while part of the organization between 2006 and 2019. The accusations ranged from unwanted advances and remarks to requests to wear revealing clothing and to flirt with clients. Snyder was accused in the Post’s second report of verbal abuse and sexual misconduct.The reports from the Post prompted the team to hire attorney Beth Wilkinson to conduct a review into the allegations and «help the team set new employee standards for the future.» The NFL would later take over the handling of Wilkinson’s investigation.Following the second report from the Post, and said he would take steps to ensure the organization is «diverse, inclusive and respectful of all.» He also called the article a «hit job» for relying on un-named sources and on «decades-old allegations.», finding that the workplace environment in Washington’s organization was «highly unprofe sional» for women, noting that women were sexually hara sed,bullied, intimidated and disrespected while working in Washington. The report found ownership and senior management did not pay attention to the i sues and that often senior executives themselves committed the inappropriate conduct.The report credited the Snyders for their re-organization at the top of the franchise and efforts made to improve the diversity and culture of the team with several hires, firings of staff that engaged in misconduct and improvements in policies and protocols regarding conduct. The Snyders agreed to 10 recommendations to improve the organization, and were fined $10 million by Goodell, along with covering the fees for Wilkinson’s investigation, as a result of the findings. The official report from Wilkinson was not released.Not long after the NFL announced the fine, emails between Washington general manager Bruce Allen, former NFL coach Jon Gruden and others that showed racist, misogynistic and homophobic me sages from 2010 to 2018 were leaked to . The leak led to , and prompted the requesting documents and information from the NFL regarding the investigation into Washington’s workplace culture.Congre sional hearings began over the workplace misconduct allegations in 2022. Tiffani Johnston, a former cheerleader and later marketing manager, told the committee that Snyder had sexually hara sed her when he put his hand on her thigh during a team dinner and pushed her toward his limousine with his hand on her lower back, .In June, the committee asked both Snyder and Goodell to testify, but Snyder declined. The committee later released a document that claimed Snyder had a «shadow investigation» that aimed to discredit employees who would claim sexual hara sment took place and had private investigators intimidate witne ses, . In July, Snyder agreed to appear virtually, where he spoke for 10 hours and talked about the efforts the team has made to improve over the past two years.The lawsuit announcement comes just eight days after the U.S. attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Virginia opened a criminal investigation into the Commanders for alleged financial improprieties. Racine explained during the pre s conference that there will be more on this investigation «next week.»Back in April 2022, the Virginia attorney general opened an investigation into allegations the Commanders engaged in financial improprieties, which stemmed from the House Oversight and Reform Committee’s investigation into workplace hara sment claims, . The team «categorically» denied the claims of financial impropriety. The D.C. attorney general later joined the investigation into the allegations.ESPN reported on Nov. 2 that the U.S. attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Virginia had begun a criminal investigation into the financial improprieties, with a focus on deceptive busine s practices.»It is not surprising that ESPN is publishing more falsehoods based solely on anonymous sources given today’s announcement,» attorney John Brownlee of Holland & Knight, who represents the franchise, told ESPN in a statement. «…We are confident that, after these agencies have had a chance to review the documents and complete their work, they will come to the same conclusion as the team’s internal review that these allegations are simply untrue.»NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told ESPN the NFL engaged former SEC chair Mary Jo White in April 2022 to review the claims.The results of White’s investigation found that Snyder had sexually hara sed a team employee, and that he had withheld financial information that needed to be shared with other teams, . Additionally, White said Snyder did not cooperate with the investigation, limiting his interview to a single hour.Per the Post, White focused on allegations from former team employees Tiffani Johnston and Jason Friedman, and spoke with 44 witne ses, reviewed over 10,000 documents and received help from forensic accountants.Her investigation sustained that Snyder put his hand on Johnston’s thigh under the table and pushed her toward the back of the car, and found that a former senior team executive took and viewed an unedited cheerleader calendar photo. There was not enough evidence to conclude whether Snyder was involved in the calendar photo.The allegations of Washington withholding financial information was also sustained by White’s investigation, with the investigation finding there was approximately $11 million that had been withheld from other teams and owners. There was also $44.49 million in ticket, parking, license and other revenue that was found to be in a non-shareable account, and while the team said it was common practice to put shareable and non-shareable money in the same account, the investigation could not conclude whether it was proper or improper practices.As a result of the investigation, Snyder was fined $60 million.»The conduct substantiated in Ms. White’s findings has no place in the NFL,» . «We strive for workplaces that are safe, respectful and profe sional. What Ms. Johnston experienced is inappropriate and contrary to the NFL’s values.»This section has been updated with the results of White’s investigation, released on July 20, 2023.Snyder agreed to sell the Commanders to a Gunnar Hoak Jersey group led by Josh Harris and Magic Johnson. And on July 20, the league’s owners officially approved the sale of the team to the new group.The sale of the Commanders will be for a record $6.05 billion, the largest sale of a North American sports franchise in history.MORE: According to Front Office Sports, Snyder purchased the team in 1999 for $800 million. , that would mean the team cost roughly $1.45 billion to purchase.What would Snyder be able to net today in a sale? , the Commanders are the sixth-highest valued team in the NFL, with a value of $5.6 billion and an operating income of $130.3 million. Only the Cowboys ($8 billion), Patriots ($6.4 billion), Rams ($6.2 billion), Giants ($6 billion) and Bears ($5.8 billion) received a higher valuation., Snyder has a net worth of $4.9 billion, as of Nov. 10, 2022. Forbes reports that he made his wealth through Snyder Communications, which he took public in 1996 and sold for $2.1 billion in stock in 2000.Needle s to say, selling the team for more than $5 billion would certainly be a major boon for his bank account.