NFL

Congress investigating allegations of financial impropriety by Commanders

By Liz Clarke, Paul Kane and Mark Maske
Today at 12:35 p.m. EDT

The congressional committee that has been investigating the NFL’s handling of widespread sexual harassment in the Washington Commanders’ workplace is now also looking into allegations of financial improprieties under Daniel Snyder’s ownership, multiple people familiar with the proceedings said.

The allegations came to light in recent weeks as the House Committee on Oversight and Reform reviewed more than 80,000 pages of documents and interviewed witnesses in its inquiry of the team’s workplace and the NFL’s handling of the matter, said those people with knowledge of the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the proceedings are at a sensitive stage.

The financial investigation remains behind closed doors and among the highest levels of the 45-person committee at this point. Asked about this new phase, several members of the panel indicated they have heard speculation about this but said it remains at such a sensitive phase they do not know details. Other members were unaware.

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The NFL’s current probe — led by Mary Jo White, a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and former chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission — was prompted by an allegation of sexual misconduct against Snyder that was aired during a public roundtable hosted by the Oversight Committee on Feb. 3. During the proceedings, Tiffani Johnston, a former cheerleader and team marketing manager, told members of Congress that Snyder harassed her at a team dinner, putting his hand on her thigh and pressing her toward his limo afterward. In a statement, Snyder called Johnston’s allegations “outright lies.”

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By Liz Clarke
A member of the Sports Department's enterprise team, Liz Clarke covered Washington's NFL team for eight seasons. She has also covered nine Olympics, three World Cups and written extensively about tennis, auto racing and college sports since joining The Post in 1998. Twitter https://twitter.com/lizclarketweet

By Paul Kane
Paul Kane is The Washington Post's senior congressional correspondent and columnist. His column about Congress, @PKCapitol, appears throughout the week and on Sundays. He joined The Post in 2007. Twitter https://twitter.com/pkcapitol

By Mark Maske
Mark Maske covers the NFL for The Washington Post. He has covered the NFL and the Washington Football Team since 1998. He previously covered baseball, the Baltimore Orioles, the effort to bring a major league team to Washington, and colleges. Twitter https://twitter.com/MarkMaske