By Amy Tennery
(Reuters) – Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder will not appear before a House committee hearing into his team’s workplace culture next week as requested, according to a letter obtained by Reuters.
The Committee on Oversight and Reform earlier this month asked Snyder and National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell to appear for the hearing as part of its investigation into allegations regarding a hostile workplace culture at the Commanders.
It said the hearing would also “examine the NFL’s handling of allegations of workplace misconduct, the NFL’s role in setting and enforcing standards across the League.”
A source close to Snyder said in a statement provided to Reuters that the committee had declined “multiple reasonable requests surrounding a potential appearance”.
“Mr. Snyder remains willing to continue cooperating with the Committee but is unable to attend the June 22 hearing given the Committee’s disregard for due process,” the statement read.
Snyder’s attorney, Karen Patton Seymour, outlined several reasons why he would not attend in a letter to the chairs of the Committee on Oversight and Reform and Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, including that Snyder would be out of the country on “long-standing” team business.
A committee spokesperson said: “The Committee intends to move forward with this hearing. We are currently reviewing Mr. Snyder’s letter and will respond.”
It was not clear whether Goodell would attend next week. The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Roughly a year ago the NFL fined the team – then known as the “Washington Football Team” – $10 million after a review of allegations of a hostile culture, but did not suspend team owner Snyder.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Toby Davis)
