Nov 10 (Reuters) – Washington, D.C. Lawyer Normal Karl Racine has filed a civil lawsuit towards Washington Commanders proprietor Dan Snyder, the group, the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell for colluding to deceive folks about an investigation into the group’s poisonous office tradition in a bid to guard its income.
The NFL fined the Commanders $10 million final 12 months after an unbiased investigation by lawyer Beth Wilkinson discovered quite a few feminine workers reported having skilled sexual harassment, however the full report was by no means launched.
“The Commanders and Dan Snyder lied to D.C. residents about what they knew a couple of poisonous tradition of sexual harassment after which they entered right into a secret settlement with the NFL and Commissioner Goodell that saved the reality from DC residents – all in an effort to guard their income,” Racine mentioned on Thursday.
“In D.C., you may’t mislead customers to complement your self and get away with it. That is what this lawsuit is about: standing up for DC residents who had been deceived and misled. Nobody – not even Mr. Snyder – is above the regulation.”
Attorneys for the group informed ESPN that Snyder had acknowledged that an unacceptable office tradition had existed throughout the group for a number of years and had apologized many time for permitting that to occur.
“Though the lawsuit repeats lots of innuendo, half-truths and lies, we welcome this chance to defend the group,” the attorneys mentioned.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy mentioned the league had made public a abstract of Wilkinson’s findings and rejected the “legally unsound and factually baseless allegations made at this time by the D.C. Lawyer.”
HEAVY PENALTIES
Racine mentioned he deliberate to subpoena Snyder, Goodell and others for sworn testimony and mentioned defendants might face thousands and thousands of {dollars} in penalties.
[1/3] District of Columbia Lawyer Normal Karl Racine is flanked by workers attorneys as he discusses his workplace’s investigation of misconduct by the NFL’s Washington Commanders and group proprietor Dan Snyder and the submitting of a civil lawsuit by the town of Washington towards Snyder and the soccer group, throughout a information convention in Washington, U.S., November 10, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
He’s additionally looking for a court docket order to drive the NFL to launch the complete findings of Wilkinson’s 10-month investigation.
Racine mentioned that when the NFL took over the investigation from the Commanders to assist guarantee it was unbiased, the 2 events entered into an settlement that gave Snyder the power to dam the discharge of any info he selected, together with its final findings, Racine mentioned.
“All through the investigation, Snyder actively sought to intrude with it, together with intimidating and suppressing witnesses. Then, the NFL selected to defend the outcomes of the investigation from the general public,” he mentioned.
“They did all of this to cover the reality, defend their photos and let the income roll.”
Racine mentioned his workplace’s investigation included interviewing witnesses together with former group workers who skilled and witnessed harassment.
It revealed that Snyder and the NFL labored to stop residents from studying the reality about what actually occurred contained in the group in violation of D.C.’s client safety regulation.
Snyder this month employed Financial institution of America Securities to discover the potential sale of the group, which can be reportedly being investigated for potential monetary improprieties. learn extra
The Commanders have beforehand denied any suggestion of economic impropriety of any type.
Racine mentioned Snyder wouldn’t be capable to keep away from the lawsuit by promoting the group, which is valued at $5.6 billion.
Further reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto, enhancing by Ed Osmond
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