Washington Commanders deny financial improprieties

The Washington Commanders have denied allegations of financial improprieties following a Washington Post report that the House Oversight and Reform Committee has begun look into its books.

Sources told the Post that the latest allegations of financial improprieties emerged in the committee’s review of over 80,000 pages of documents and witness interviews during its initial probe into sexual harassment and workplace misconduct.  

However, a Commanders spokesperson told The Hill the team was not aware of the development.

“The team is not aware of any investigation by the House Oversight Committee regarding financial matters, despite vague and unsubstantiated claims today by anonymous sources. The team categorically denies any suggestion of financial impropriety of any kind at any time,” the spokesperson said, adding that the team will continue to cooperate with the committee on their investigation. 

“We adhere to strict internal processes that are consistent with industry and accounting standards, are audited annually by a globally respected independent auditing firm, and are also subject to regular audits by the NFL. We continue to cooperate fully with the Committee’s work.” 

According to the Post, several members of the committee have heard of the new allegations, though they said the probe remains in a sensitive phase and details are unknown.

“The Committee continues to investigate the hostile workplace and culture of impunity at the Washington Commanders as well as the National Football League’s inadequate response and lack of transparency,” the committee said in a statement to The Hill. 

“The Committee will follow the facts wherever they may lead,” it added.  

The committee launched its investigation into claims of workplace misconduct within the Commander’s organization last October following the resignation of Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden.

Gruden resigned from his position with the Raiders after a leaked email chain from the NFL’s investigation of the Washington Football Team’s workplace misconduct claims surfaced. The email chain, which spans from 2011 to 2018, involved then-WSH team president Bruce Allen and Gruden, who was employed by ESPN at the time, contained racist, homophobic and misogynistic language. 

The league recently launched a second investigation into the team last month after former team cheerleader and marketing manager Tiffani Johnston accused Commanders owner Dan Synder of sexually harassing her during a work-related dinner. She made the claims during a House Oversight Committee roundtable discussion on the matter. 

Dan Snyder has owned the D.C.-based NFL franchise for over two decades, purchasing the team in 1999. 

During the league’s annual meeting on Tuesday, commissioner Roger Goodell told media reporters that Snyder’s wife, Tayna, will continue to oversee the team’s daily operations for the foreseeable future, the Post noted.

The Hill has reached out to the NFL for comment.