WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 The Washington Commanders created a 鈥渢oxic work culture鈥 for more than two decades, 鈥渋gnoring and downplaying sexual misconduct鈥 by men at the top levels of the organization, according to a report published Thursday by the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
Commanders owner Dan Snyder was involved in the misconduct, according to the report, which said he inappropriately touched a former employee at a dinner, had staffers produce a video 鈥渙f sexually suggestive footage of cheerleaders,鈥 and ordered that women who were auditioning to be cheerleaders walk on the field 鈥渨hile he and his friends gawked from his suite through binoculars.鈥
Snyder also interfered in an investigation that the NFL eventually took over that stemmed from former employees alleging in 2020 rampant sexual harassment by team executives, the report said, as well as interfering with the House committee's investigation by 鈥渋ntimidating witnesses and blocking the production of documents.鈥 Snyder also was evasive and misleading and said more than 100 times that he did not recall things, the report said.
The NFL is not shielded from criticism in the report, which says the league 鈥渕isled the public about its handling of the Wilkinson Investigation,鈥 "continues to minimize workplace misconduct across the league," 鈥渉as not protected workers from sexual harassment and abuse,鈥 and 鈥渉as not sought true accountability for those responsible.鈥
Neither the NFL nor Snyder's legal team immediately responded to messages seeking comment.
Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, who represented more than 40 ex-Commanders employees, said in a statement Thursday that the 鈥渃ommittee鈥檚 work resulted in important legislation limiting the use of non-disclosure agreements, which will help prevent this type of widespread harassment from happening in other American workplaces.鈥
The House committee opened its investigation after the NFL did not release a written report of attorney Beth Wilkinson鈥檚 review of the team鈥檚 workplace culture in the summer of 2021 that resulted in a $10 million fine. That was prompted by several former employees saying they were sexually harassed while working for the team.
Republicans have said they would immediately drop the case once they take over control of the House early next year.
Snyder and wife Tanya recently hired Bank of America Securities he has owned since 1999. The Commanders are worth an estimated $5.6 billion, 鈥 a sevenfold increase over the then-record $800 million Snyder paid for the team in 1999.
Just last month, the team also settled with the state of Maryland, agreeing to return security deposits to former season ticket holders and pay a $250,000 penalty.
___
More AP NFL: and
