If the NFL attempts to push Snyder out of his position as owner of the Commanders, the league is concerned about being sued by Snyder.
The NFL Also Has Cause for Alarm
According to reports, the National Football League should also be concerned about the possibility of being sued by former Commander’s workers.
Attorneys Lisa Banks and Debra Katz have sent a letter to the NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, in which they threaten to file a lawsuit against the league if the identities of their clients who have participated in lawyer Beth Wilkinson’s probe are disclosed to Snyder.
The letter refers to the recent report published by ESPN, which asserts, among many other things, that “Snyder utilised Beth Wilkinson’s inquiry as a ‘tip sheet’ to assemble his ‘enemies list’ and to produce his 100-slide presentation.”
“If accurate, this was an obvious breach of a very specific guarantee the NFL made to our clients, via Ms. Wilkinson and her team, that witness identities would be kept secret and not shared with Mr. Snyder or the Washington Commanders,” the attorneys said in their letter to Goodell.
“If true, this was in clear violation of a very specific promise the NFL made to our clients.” “Many of our customers only decided to assist in the inquiry after receiving this guarantee; otherwise.
They were afraid that they might be subject to reprisal if their identities were made public.” This apprehension seems to have been well-founded.
During The Investigation and After the NFL Released Witness Names
After taking part in the investigation and after the NFL disclosed the names of the witnesses, several of our clients were harassed by private investigators, and some of them were publicly disparaged and/or removed from team alumni groups.
And at least one of our clients who was still working for the team was terminated. We understand why now.
If the ‘tip sheet’ accusation is accurate, not only is it morally repulsive, but it also offers the foundation for us to pursue legal action against the NFL, which we will do given the substantial injury that was caused to our clients as a result of their reliance on the NFL’s assurances.
The letter also brings up the hypocrisy that is apparent in the league’s obstinate unwillingness to reveal any of Beth Wilkinson’s findings due to the assertion that anonymity was pledged to particular witnesses and the league’s claimed inability to keep specific names away from Snyder.
Both of these allegations are brought up in the letter. “In the spirit of full transparency, you may and should disclose the report that was generated by Beth Wilkinson, just as you have promised to do with the Mary Jo White inquiry.
However, redacting, or anonymizing witness identities may be required depending on the circumstances. If such is not the case, you are obligated to provide a truthful justification for your failure to do so,” the layers wrote to the individuals.
Finishing Line
At the end of the letter, a fresh invitation to meet with Goodell was included. And here is the hammer: “If you disregard our request, as you have with our earlier efforts to speak to you personally.
We will presume that the reporting by ESPN is real, and we will go through with official legal action on behalf of our clients.”
The league has maintained during this whole dispute that the Wilkinson report and all of its contents must remain confidential to uphold the pledges of anonymity.
This shaky justification becomes even more feeble if the anonymity was entirely ignored when it comes to the same individual from whom the former workers sought to be shielded.
