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Diasabra 5 Februari 2022

Congress questions independence of NFL’s Washington probe

showed the league and the team, now of its investigation was given the abil-
known as the Commanders, agreed ity to block the release of the inves-
to pursue a “joint legal strategy” re- tigation’s findings and why the NFL
lated to the probe. instructed Ms. Wilkinson to reverse
course and not provide a written re-
The private agreement was signed port,” the letter said. “Most impor-
days after the league said it had taken tantly, the NFL must end its months-
over an investigation of the team ini- long efforts to hide the truth about
tiated by owner Dan Snyder. It stipu- misconduct at the (Washington Foot-
lated that any information exchanged ball Team) and cooperate with the
as a result of the investigation was committee’s investigation.”
privileged and could not be shared
without the consent of both the NFL The committee also said the league
and the team. withdrew from its common-interest
agreement with the team in October,
The committee also found that the creating a “legal limbo” that is pre-
team and Snyder agreed that attorney venting the release of documents re-
Beth Wilkinson’s firm, which con- quested by Congress.
ducted the investigation, would pro-
duce a written report, but that NFL The NFL and the team did not im-
Commissioner Roger Goodell asked mediately respond to emails seek-
Wilkinson to present her findings to ing comment. Lawyers representing
him orally instead. more than 40 former team employees
said Goodell had deceived their cli-
The investigation found a pervasive ents.
culture of sexual harassment and
mistreatment of female employees “Goodell was anything but an honest
of the team, confirming reports that broker when it came to this investiga-
first emerged when former employ- tion,” attorneys Lisa Banks and Debra
ees spoke to The Washington Post in Katz said in a statement. “He was an
2020. The NFL fined the team $10 active co-conspirator with Dan Sny-
million and Snyder temporarily ced- der and is now carrying his water in
ed day-to-day control of the franchise stonewalling Congress’ efforts to en-
to his wife, Tanya. sure accountability by making the re-
sults of the Wilkinson report public.”
The league claimed that no one of
those known to have mistreated Johnston and five other former em-
women was still employed by the ployees of the newly renamed Com-
team, but former employee Tiffani manders franchise spoke to the com-
Johnston contradicted that claim mittee in a roundtable discussion on
Thursday when she told Congress Thursday, detailing their experiences
that Snyder sexually harassed her. of being subjected to sexual harass-
Snyder denied Johnston’s allegations, ment and other inappropriate behav-
calling them “outright lies.” ior by team executives. They said the
team has not been held accountable
In a letter on Friday, the committee for its toxic workplace culture.
called on Goodell to release the full
findings of the Wilkinson investiga- The former employees and their at-
(AP) - An investigation into sex- claimed, members of Congress tion by Feb. 14, threatening “alternate torneys also have questioned why the
ual harassment of women em- said Friday. means of obtaining compliance” if he league allowed Snyder to buy out his
ployed by Washington’s NFL does not cooperate. ownership partners while the investi-
franchise was not as indepen- The House Committee on Oversight gation was ongoing.
dent as the team and the league and Reform released documents that “The NFL must explain why a target

UCLA player arrested after allegedly spitting at Arizona fan

(AP) — UCLA men’s bas- Etienne was allowed to go to statement said. ture date or make alternative “We had no reason to take
ketball player Mac Eti- the locker room and was then arrangements with court of- him into custody,” he said.
enne was arrested and arrested, cited and released, Etienne, a redshirt freshman, ficials, Aguilar said.
cited on suspicion of mis- Aguilar said. was not in uniform and did
demeanor assault after not play in the game.
appearing to spit toward a Local media outlets reported
fan after the Bruins lost a that fans jeered UCLA play- It wasn’t immediately clear
road game to Pac-12 rival ers when the incident oc- whether saliva landed on any
Arizona, a University of curred. The Wildcats beat the fans but the misdemeanor
Arizona police spokesman Bruins 76-66. assault charge alleges intent,
said Friday. Aguilar said.
UCLA officials knew of the
The alleged incident oc- incident and were review- “We did have a willing victim
curred Thursday night as ing it, university spokesman who did want to press charg-
UCLA players left the McK- Scott Markley said in a state- es,” he said.
ale Center playing floor and ment.
entered a tunnel to go to their Etienne wasn’t taken into
locker room, said the spokes- “UCLA Athletics is commit- custody or booked into jail
man, Officer Jesus Aguilar. ted to and expects the highest but he will be expected to ei-
level of sportsmanship,” the ther appear in court on a fu-