The NFL has decided not to hire Beth Wilkinson but to appoint Mary Jo White to conduct the latest investigation of Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder. The former employee whose allegations sparked the probe has not yet decided to cooperate.
In a statement issued by her lawyers, Tiffani Johnston’s preference is clear. She wants Beth Wilkinson, who conducted the original investigation, to conduct the new one.
“Beth Wilkinson conducted a long and comprehensive investigation of the Washington Commanders, and earned the trust of dozens of victims and witnesses who provided her with evidence of pervasive sexual harassment and abuse,” attorney Lisa Banks said in a statement. “We understood that Ms. Wilkinson would also conduct the investigation into Tiffani Johnston’s allegations about Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder, given her unique knowledge of the Commanders organization, its culture of sexual harassment, and Dan Snyder’s credibility. Having a new investigator, with no such prior knowledge, assess Ms. Johnson’s allegations and Mr. Snyder’s denials in a vacuum makes no sense at all. That said, we will discuss with Ms. Johnston her willingness to participate, and are pleased that the NFL has agreed to make the results public. On behalf of our many other clients, we urge Commissioner Goodell to make the same decision with respect to Ms. Wilkinson’s investigation. Certainly the results of that comprehensive investigation would provide an important blueprint for the new investigator to conduct her work.”
Wilkinson, as PFT has reported, would have recommended that Snyder be forced to sell, if the NFL had requested a written report upon conclusion of her 10-month review of workplace misconduct allegations. To the extent Johnston wanted Wilkinson to handle the investigation of Johnston’s claims, Snyder undoubtedly didn’t want Wilkinson. Indeed, it’s fair to conclude that the team’s decision to abandon plans for its own investigation and to welcome White’s involvement represented a concession made when the NFL didn’t retain Wilkinson for the Johnston investigation.
Whether White was the right choice for the investigation is a separate issue, one that we’ll address in a subsequent post.
