The Commanders weren’t the only ones to issue a statement in response to the lawsuit filed on Thursday by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine. The NFL, which along with Commissioner Roger Goodell was named as a defendant to the lawsuit, also has issued a statement.
“The independent investigation into workplace misconduct at the Washington Commanders was thoroughly and comprehensively conducted by Beth Wilkinson and her law firm,” Chief NFL Spokesman Brian McCarthy said. “Following the completion of the investigation, the NFL made public a summary of Ms. Wilkinson’s findings and imposed a record-setting fine against the club and its ownership.
“We reject the legally unsound and factually baseless allegations made today by the D.C. Attorney General against the NFL and Commissioner Goodell and will vigorously defend against those claims.”
The issue isn’t whether the league conducted an investigation or imposed punishment for it. The issue is why the league didn’t have Wilkinson prepare a report, and why the league stubbornly has refused to disclose any of the facts that Wilkinson determined to be true — or any recommendations she would have made in writing on what to do with Commanders owner Daniel Snyder.
As previously reported, she would have recommended that Snyder be forced to sell the team.
Instead, the league brushed all of it under the rug, clumsily and brazenly arguing that a request for anonymity from some of the employees who cooperated necessitated all facts to be forever hidden. Now, Racine wants to force all of it into the sunlight.
The Commanders seem to have no problem with it; “The public needs to know the truth,” they said. Let’s take them at their word and welcome the full disclosure of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.