Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder will not testify at next week's House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on workplace misconduct in the NFL, according to an Axios report.
Citing a source familiar with the NFL owner's thinking, Snyder recently informed the House committee that he wouldn't be able to attend the June 22 oversight meeting, reportedly over "due process" concerns involving Snyder and/or members of his legal team.
Also, Snyder attorney Karen Patton Seymour recently wrote to the committee, citing the Axios report.
"Although Mr. Snyder remains willing to cooperate with the Committee — as he has done in the past — for the reasons set forth below, he is unable to accept the Committee's invitation to testify at the scheduled hearing," wrote Seymour.
In response to Snyder's camp, a House committee member told Axios: "The committee intends to move forward with this hearing. We are currently reviewing Mr. Snyder's letter and will respond."
On June 1, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, sent letters to Snyder — who's owned Washington's franchise since May 1999 — and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Both NFL leaders were invited to appear for the June 22 meeting in Washington D.C.
The letter to Snyder reads in part:
"Since we launched our investigation in October, the Committee's goal has been to uncover the truth about the culture of harassment and abuse at the Washington Commanders, to hold accountable those responsible, and to better protect workers across the country," wrote Maloney.
She added: "The Committee has worked tirelessly to obtain critical information, including the findings of the internal investigation conducted by attorney Beth Wilkinson, only to be met with obstruction from the Commanders and the NFL at every turn. We must have transparency and accountability, which is why we are calling on Mr. Goodell and Mr. Snyder to answer the questions they have dodged for the last seven months.
"The hearing will explore how Congress can act to prevent employers from silencing victims of workplace misconduct and ensure that what happened at the Commanders organization does not happen again."
Congressman Krishnamoorthi added in the letter: "For seven months, the Committee has been stonewalled by NDAs and other tools to evade accountability. Mr. Snyder and Mr. Goodell need to appear before the Committee to address these issues and answer our questions about the pervasive workplace misconduct at the Washington Commanders, and how the NFL addressed these issues."
Snyder's time with the embattled Washington franchise — formerly the Redskins (1932-2019), and Washington Football Team (2020-21), before officially becoming the "Commanders" this offseason — hasn't spawned much on-field success, with the club last producing a postseason victory in January 2006.
Off the field, the franchise has had to endure allegations from former employees, including club cheerleaders, suggesting the team fostered a culture of widespread sexual harassment at various levels.
And recently, Snyder had been accused of withholding certain sources of ticket revenue from the NFL's 31 other owners.
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