Report: Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder offers to testify before Congress
Roughly two weeks after the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform announced plans to issue a subpoena, Daniel Snyder has offered to testify before Congress.
Per ESPN, the Washington Commanders owner sent a letter to the committee via his attorney Karen Patton Seymour on Thursday offering dates in July to testify via video conference. Per the report, Seymour is awaiting a response from Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) to schedule Snyder's testimony.
Snyder is the subject of a House investigation into allegations of workplace misconduct under his leadership of the Commanders. Allegations include 42 former female employees accusing team executives including Snyder of sexual harassment and misconduct. Among those came from ex-cheerleader Tiffany Bacon Scourby, who accused Snyder of asking her to "go upstairs and get to know" one of his friends during a team charity event in 2004. Snyder has denied that allegation.
The NFL conducted its own investigation into the allegations that resulted in a $10 million fine of a $4.2 billion football franchise and 10 recommendations for how the team can improve.
Snyder has repeatedly declined requests to testify before the committee with Seymour citing a "long-standing business conflict, for which he is out of the country” alongside concerns about “fundamental notions of fairness and due process.” Snyder was reportedly aboard his yacht in France in the days leading up to a recent House hearing on the Commanders.
His prior refusals to testify prompted Maloney to announce during a June 22 hearing that she would issue a subpoena.
"Mr. Snyder has not been held accountable," Maloney said. "His refusal not to testify sends a clear message that he is more concerned about protecting himself than coming clean with the American people. If the NFL is unwilling or unable to hold Mr. Snyder accountable, then I am prepared to do so."
Per ESPN, Snyder's legal team has not accepted the House subpoena as he remains out of the country. According to the report, Seymour said that Snyder would be in Israel for "much of July" and "into August" to observe the one-year anniversary of his mother's death in accordance with Jewish custom. Thursday's letter offered for Snyder to testify via video conference from Israel.
The House also requested NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to testify before the committee. He complied via video conference on June 22, where he acknowledged that the ""the workplace culture at the Commanders was not only unprofessional but toxic for far too long" while stating that he doesn't have the authority to remove Snyder as Commanders owner.
