268: Disappearing Oversight: The NFL Sexual Misconduct Investigation

·1 hr 18 min·5 clips

A former Commanders employee recalls her harasser screaming 'what the f*** is she thinking?' after she reported his unwanted kisses and emails.

This episode of Congressional Dish opens with host Jennifer Briney confessing her love for the NFL as a season ticket holder, framing the episode as a 'repentance' for supporting the league. She introduces a year-long congressional investigation into sexual misconduct at the Washington Commanders, initiated after the NFL refused to release findings from an internal probe by attorney Beth Wilkinson. Briney plays highlights from two 2022 House Oversight Committee hearings. The first hearing features testimony from former employees like Rachel Eielson, who described harassment and retaliation, and Melanie Coburn and Tiffany Johnston, who detailed owner Dan Snyder's inappropriate behavior, including creating a lewd video of cheerleaders without their consent. The second hearing features NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who defended the league's decision not to produce a written report, citing confidentiality. Briney critiques the NFL's punishment—a $10 million fine for Snyder, which she equates to a $250 fine for an average American—and notes Snyder's wife was made co-CEO. She highlights partisan responses, with Republicans like James Comer dismissing the investigation as a waste of time, while Democrats like Carolyn Maloney proposed bills like the Accountability for Workplace Misconduct Act, which died. The episode shifts to a second major theme: Briney discovered that hearing archives from the 117th Congress, including those on the Commanders and Seresto pet collars, are disappearing from official committee websites. She speculates this may be due to the Republican takeover, breaking links in her show notes. Briney announces a project to create a public archive of congressional hearings on YouTube to preserve access, seeking listener support. She closes by thanking patrons and previewing the next episode on the National Defense Authorization Act.

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