Ravens cancel Ray Rice’s contract

The Baltimore Ravens are terminating the contract of running back Ray Rice in the wake of a new video showing him assaulting his then-fiancée.

The NFL team announced the decision on Twitter after TMZ obtained a video clip that showed Rice punching Janay Palmer inside an elevator in Atlantic City, N.J. in February and dragging her out. Earlier video had shown Rice dragging Palmer, but didn’t show the punch.

The #Ravens have terminated RB Ray Rice's contract this afternoon.

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 8, 2014

The NFL said it had only seen the new video on Monday.

After the video surfaced, several Democratic lawmakers criticized the league for being too lenient toward the football player.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called on the NFL to impose a harsher punishment against Rice due to the new video. Palmer, who is now married to Rice, said in May she deeply regrets the role she played in the incident, according to the Ravens.

The NFL had punished Rice for the incident by suspending him for two games.

Blumenthal is one of several senators who called on the NFL to punish the football player for assaulting Palmer and urged the league to develop procedures for teams to deal with players who commit acts of domestic violence.

Before the Ravens’ announcement, Rep. Joaquín Castro (D-Texas) weighed in on Twitter and questioned whether the video could lead to new charges against Rice. The running back was first arrested and charged after the incident, but prosecutors offered a plea deal that allowed him to forgo jail time in exchange for completing a domestic violence intervention program.

The story is unfolding as Vice President Biden prepares to mark the 20th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act in a speech on Monday.

In a letter to to NFL owners late last month, Goodell said the league would increase penalties for players involved in domestic violence cases.

Players who commit such assaults in the future would be suspended for six games, Goodell said, and would be banned for life from playing football if the player repeats the offense. A repeat offender would be allowed, however, to apply to be reinstated after one year.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon was recently suspended for the season for violating NFL drug policies.