D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine filed a lawsuit against the Washington Commanders and team owner Dan Snyder, as well as the NFL and its commissioner, Roger Goodell for what they allege to be actions aimed at deceiving D.C. residents about the team’s alleged toxic culture for its own financial gain, according to CNBC.
“The Commanders and the NFL secretly entered into an agreement about the investigation that the public didn’t know about,” Racine said in an official statement. “We’re bringing this matter as a civil matter in a court of law with a fair process for the defendants so that the public might have a sense of accountability,” Racine said on Thursday.
“Over two years ago, Dan and Tanya Snyder acknowledged that an unacceptable workplace culture had existed within their organization for several years and they have apologized many times for allowing that to happen,” a spokesperson for the Commanders said in an official statement. “We agree with AG Racine on one thing: the public needs to know the truth. Although the lawsuit repeats a lot of innuendo, half-truths and lies, we welcome this opportunity to defend the organization — for the first time — in a court of law and to establish, once and for all, what is fact and what is fiction.”
The NFL responded with the following:
“The independent investigation into workplace misconduct at the Washington Commanders was thoroughly and comprehensively conducted by Beth Wilkinson and her law firm. 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.”