The House Committee on Oversight & Reform invited NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder to appear before the committee at a hearing on June 22 as part of its investigation into the Commanders’ hostile workplace culture and potential financial improprieties.
Snyder, for his part, has declined the invitation.
Axios.com is reporting that attorney Karen Patton Seymour communicated that decision to the committee in a four-page letter on Wednesday.
“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.
The letter also says that Snyder “has a longstanding Commanders-related business conflict.” What could be more important than attending a Congressional committee hearing about misconduct in your workplace remains to be seen. Lord knows the Commanders have plenty of negative issues to deal with.
A committee spokesperson told Axios that “the committee intends to move forward with this hearing” and that “we are currently reviewing Mr. Snyder’s letter and will respond.”
Snyder has been accused of engaging in “a troubling, long-running, and potentially unlawful pattern of financial conduct” according to a letter sent from the Committee to the Federal Trade Commission. According to a whistleblower, the team kept two sets of books in order to hold onto revenue that should have been spread to the rest of the NFL. This was on top of the previous allegations of sexual harassment and toxic work culture.
It’s unknown at the moment whether or not Goodell will attend the hearing.
