• Loading stock data...
Saturday, April 26, 2025
Law

House Committee Won’t Seek Criminal Referral of Dan Snyder

  • Hours after Rep. Raskin asks for referral, the Republican-led Oversight Committee rejects request.
  • Raskin alleged the NFL’s second outside investigation called Snyder’s testimony into question.
Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington Commanders.
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Dan Snyder won’t have to worry about a criminal referral from the House Oversight Committee.  

Hours after a request from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), a spokesperson for the Republican-led Oversight Committee told Front Office Sports that the body chaired by Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky) won’t ask the Justice Department to investigate the former Washington Commanders owner. 

“Ranking Member Raskin is obsessed with an investigation that has no connection whatsoever to the federal government,” a House Oversight Committee spokesperson said in the statement to FOS. “It is very clear what their priorities are – Democrats are more concerned with using Committee resources to target a private sports workplace than investigating the corruption of the sitting President of the United States.

“The Oversight Committee is going to continue to prioritize the American people by ensuring our federal government is efficient, accountable, and transparent.”

Raskin sought the DOJ to review whether Snyder committed perjury and obstructed Congress, which are both felonies.

“Rather than join Committee Democrats in this effort, Committee Republicans have repeatedly sought to protect Daniel Snyder despite overwhelming evidence that he condoned and participated in a toxic workplace culture of pervasive sexual harassment, including by issuing a memo that sought to whitewash Mr. Snyder’s misconduct,” spokesperson for the Oversight Committee Democrats said in response to the majority’s refusal to consider a criminal referral. “Their refusal to hold Mr. Snyder accountable for his efforts to obstruct the Committee’s investigation, including by making false statements under oath, is yet further proof that Committee Republicans are intent on using the Committee to advance false narratives rather than gathering facts and evidence to inform legislation for the benefit of the American people.” 

Raskin’s eight-page request cited the findings of the NFL’s second investigation of the Commanders led by former Securities and Exchange Commission chief Mary Jo White. White’s findings were released on July 20, the same day NFL owners’ approved Josh Harris as the new owner of the Commanders. 

Snyder was fined $60 million due to the White investigation, surpassing the NFL’s prior record fine ($10 million) of the Commanders after the league’s first outside investigation concluded in 2021. 

White’s investigation keyed in on two issues: allegations made in front of the Oversight Committee in July 2022 where former Commanders employee Tiffani Johnston alleged Snyder harassed her, and claims that the Commanders withheld revenue from the league — allegations that were first reported by Front Office Sports last year. 

“After extensive investigation, we have sustained both Tiffani Johnston’s allegation of sexual harassment by Mr. Snyder and Jason Friedman’s allegation of deliberate underreporting of NFL revenues,” White wrote in the report

Friedman, who is suing the Commanders and one of the team’s lawyers for defamation, made the allegations of a scheme to hold back ticket revenue during an interview with the Oversight Committee in March 2022. 

Friedman also corroborated Johnston’s harassment allegations. 

“Contrary to the club’s unequivocal public denials of Mr. Friedman’s allegations and its public attacks on his character and credibility, the club has now acknowledged, as alleged by Mr. Friedman, that employees reclassified NFL revenues to non-shareable accounts, causing the club to apparently underreport NFL revenues for sharing,” Write’s report stated. 

White found that the scheme led to $11 million of revenue being withheld from the league.

In his deposition, Snyder said the incident that Johnston described to the committee at a networking event in 2005 or 2006 “didn’t happen.”

“All I know is that it’s just not true,” Snyder said.

The Oversight Committee — which was led by the Democrats before the last general election — concluded its investigation of the Commanders in December without issuing any criminal referrals. 

A criminal referral doesn’t mean the Department of Justice will seek charges or investigate the claims. 

The same committee referred seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens to the DOJ in February 2008 following his testimony. Clemens denied he used performance-enhancing drugs in a 2007 hearing into baseball’s steroid era. 

It took over two years for the DOJ to investigate before Clemens was indicted in August 2010. Clemens was acquitted of obstruction and lying to Congress charges in June 2012. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Charlie Baker

NCAA Increases Lobbying Spending in First Months of Trump

The governing body spent $450,000 on lobbying during the first quarter.
July 9, 2009; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons president Joe Dumars during the press conference to introduce their new head coach John Kuester at their practice facility.

Joe Dumars Leaving NBA League Office to Run Pelicans

Joe Dumars was the architect of the 2004 champion Pistons.
Denver-Broncos

Who are the richest NFL owners?

The NFL’s wealthiest owners form an elite club of billionaire power players.
Mar 20, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks forward Karter Knox (11) controls the ball against Kansas Jayhawks during the first half at Amica Mutual Pavilion.

Men’s March Madness Sets Opening-Day Viewership Record

CBS Sports and TNT Sports scored big with Arkansas–Kansas.

Featured Today

The Former NBA Agent Who Became a Pickleball Deputy Commissioner

Chris Patrick went from representing Jimmy Butler to pickleball deputy commissioner.
Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after a three point basket against the Houston Cougars during the first half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome.
April 21, 2025

Cooper Flagg’s Timing Is Perfect for the NBA and USA Basketball

The projected No. 1 pick just declared for the draft.
Apr 14, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Paige Bueckers is interviewed by ESPN after being selected with the number one overall pick to the Dallas Wings in the 2025 WNBA Draft at The Shed at Hudson Yards
April 21, 2025

ESPN’s WNBA Coverage Mirrors the League’s Stunning Growth

“I don’t think we stand still in our coverage of women’s sports,” says Rowe.
Mar 16, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) celebrates with guard Isaiah Joe (11) after score in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.
April 20, 2025

Unorthodox OKC: The Thunder Redefined Tanking to Become NBA’s Best

A rebuild years in the making has OKC in the driver’s seat.
Jan 15, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New Jersey Devils center Michael McLeod (20) tries to hold off Boston Bruins center Jakub Lauko (94) during the second period at TD Garden.

Mistrial Declared for Five Ex-NHL Canadians Accused of Sexual Assault

The trial started Tuesday over an alleged 2018 incident in a hotel room.
Kendrick Lamar
April 18, 2025

Drake Lawsuit Says Kendrick Lamar Defamed Him At Super Bowl

Drake says taking out the word “pedophile” didn’t erase the defamation.
Jan 20, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart (79) reacts after allowing a goal against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period at Wells Fargo Center
April 22, 2025

Trial Begins for Five Ex-NHL Canadians Accused of Sexual Assault

The players were on Canada’s junior national team during the alleged incident.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

This week, Two-time Super Bowl Champion and CBS NFL analyst Logan Ryan joins us to talk the business of sports on our third installment of Portfolio Players.
Reilly Opelka
April 12, 2025

Tennis Player Testifies ATP Threatened Him For Supporting Lawsuit

The tour denied the allegation in a Friday court hearing.
NWSL
April 3, 2025

Boston Beats Legal Challenge to $200 Million NWSL Stadium Renovation

Demolition had begun before the case went to trial.
A view of the FanDuel Sportsbook betting area at Belterra Park Cincinnati.
April 2, 2025

FanDuel’s PE Backers Fire Back at Founder’s Legal Fight Over 2018 Sale

The legal dispute stems from the 2018 sale of 61% of FanDuel.
Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; The ESPN logo at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
exclusive
March 22, 2025

ESPN Is Accused of Harassment, Retaliation in Legal Letter From Exec Editor

Cristina Daglas has been on administrative leave since January.