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Snyder has denied all allegations against him.
“There are certainly concerns,” said one owner, who, like the others, spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. “There is anger. But there’s quite a difference between wishing he was gone and taking steps to force him out.”
That owner and others said they would support the league in taking significant disciplinary action against Snyder if an investigation conducted by attorney Mary Jo White confirms the allegations.
“It all depends on the report,” said the owner. “We have to see. I would think a hard suspension might be in order.
Two other owners said they were not aware of any efforts to gauge support for trying to force Snyder to sell his franchise. Such a move would require 24 votes among the 32 teams.
“When that happens, nobody asked for my vote,” said one owner.
Another said: “I don’t think that’s right.”
When asked if the owners could get to the point where they could try to evict Snyder from ownership if White’s report corroborates the allegations against him, this owner said, “I don’t know.”
While the possibility has not been ruled out, several owners cited the legal complications of such an attempt and expressed belief that Snyder would go to great lengths to combat such efforts.
Her comments follow reports in recent months of increasing unrest among owners over Snyder. One owner told USA Today last weekend that the owners are “counting votes” regarding a possible attempt to remove Snyder.
White’s investigation into Snyder and the commanders was launched following allegations made during a Feb. 3 congressional roundtable. Tiffani Johnston, a former cheerleader and marketing manager for the team, was among six former employees who showed up on Capitol Hill to talk about their experiences working for the team as the panel discussed workplace culture and the NFL’s handling of allegations pervasive sexual misconduct investigated the franchise. She told members of Congress that Snyder molested her at a team dinner by placing his hand on her thigh and pushing her toward his limousine.
Snyder called the allegations leveled directly at him “utter lies.”
White is also investigating allegations of financial impropriety detailed in a 20-page letter sent to the Federal Trade Commission by Democratic leaders of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. The committee’s letter included detailed allegations from Jason Friedman, a former vice president of sales and customer service who worked for the team for 24 years. According to the letter, Friedman accused the team of withholding up to $5 million in refundable deposits from season ticket holders and also hiding money to be shared among NFL owners.
The commanders have denied committing any financial irregularities, writing in a letter to the FTC that the allegations were “baseless” and claiming that “no investigation is warranted.”
As a partner in the New York office of the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton, White also oversaw the NFL’s investigation into allegations of workplace misconduct against former Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson. She is a former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and former Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Her investigation of Richardson found that there was no information to discredit the claims made against him. The NFL fined Richardson $2.75 million in 2018, and he sold the franchise to current owner David Tepper.
The NFL has announced it will release the results of White’s investigation.
The offices of Attorneys General Jason S. Miyares (R) of Virginia and Karl A. Racine (D) of the District of Columbia have announced they are conducting their own investigations.
Following an earlier investigation by attorney Beth Wilkinson into allegations of sexual harassment within the organization, the NFL announced in July that the team had been fined $10 million and that Snyder’s wife, Tanya, the team’s co-CEO, would take responsibility for the day of the franchise. current operation indefinitely. Since then, Tanya Snyder has represented the team at league meetings.
