2022 NFL Off-Season thread

[Lineker]

Quote

ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder will testify voluntarily via Zoom before Congress on Thursday morning, according to a House Oversight Committee spokesperson.

Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) had wanted Snyder to testify under a subpoena as part of their investigation into the franchise's workplace culture, but Snyder wanted to do so voluntarily and, therefore, not under oath. The committee eventually agreed to let him do so voluntarily.

Thursday's deposition, scheduled for 8 a.m., will be private, but the committee could release all or part of the transcript. The deposition is typically conducted by committee staff members, but other committee members could participate if they desire.

In a statement, the spokesperson said Snyder has "committed to providing full and complete testimony, and to answer the Committee's questions about his knowledge of and contributions to the Commanders' toxic work environment, as well as his efforts to interfere with the NFL's internal investigation, without hiding behind non-disclosure or other confidentiality agreements."

The statement also said that if Snyder does not honor his commitments, the committee is "prepared to compel his testimony on any unanswered questions upon his return to the United States."

Maloney said in a letter earlier this month to Snyder's attorney, Karen Patton Seymour, that she did not want Snyder to avoid answering questions by claiming he couldn't do so because it violated a non-disclosure agreement. Seymour had said in letter to Maloney that such concerns were "baseless."

Snyder's testimony comes one day before the House breaks for its August recess. Maloney had issued a subpoena for Snyder, but it was never served. Snyder remains overseas and therefore can't be served. According to the site vesselfinder.com, Snyder's yacht is currently docked in the Mediterranean off the coast of Italy.

Snyder had told the committee that he did not want to testify before now because he and his family were in Israel commemorating the one-year anniversary of his mother's death with multiple events over several weeks.

U.S. marshals serve subpoenas on behalf of the committee in the United States but, according a spokesperson, the Marshals Service "has no authority to serve a Congressional subpoena internationally."

Maloney could have waited for Snyder to return to the United States and served the subpoena at that time. If he then failed to show for his deposition, Congress could have held him in contempt. At that point Snyder could have tried in court to get the subpoena thrown out -- a process that could have taken months. If Republicans regain control of the house after the November elections, James Comer, the ranking minority member, said they would no longer pursue this investigation. That means Snyder could have avoided ever testifying under a subpoena or otherwise.

There's a critical difference between testifying by a subpoena and doing so voluntarily.

"If you're under subpoena, you have to answer the question posed," Dave Rapallo, the Democratic staff director of the House Oversight Committee from 2011 to 2021, told ESPN last month. "If it's voluntary, and you're not under subpoena, you don't."

Many of the employees and former employees who participated in the NFL's internal investigation of the Commanders' workplace culture, which resulted in a $10 million fine in July 2021, signed non-disclosure agreements, commonly called NDAs.

Although the committee's statement made clear it expects Snyder to answer the questions, Rapallo said, "Snyder could say to the committee, 'I'm not permitted to answer the question because there's a NDA. He can claim he can't answer because of the NDA unless there's a subpoena."

Earlier this week, the attorney for more than 40 ex-employees of the organization said in a statement that they want Snyder to waive the NDA for their clients to speak to the committee. Snyder released them from the NDA to speak with attorney Beth Wilkinson when she investigated the franchise for the NFL. They were also released from them to speak with Mary Jo White, who is investigating for the NFL a new claim of alleged sexual misconduct by Snyder.

"If it is true that Mr. Snyder does not intend to obstruct the ability of witnesses to speak with the Committee, we request that he agree to waive any NDA for that purpose," attorneys Lisa Banks and Debra Katz wrote. "That would provide much needed comfort to my clients and many other witnesses so that they can speak freely without fear of legal jeopardy."

 

[LL!]

40 minutes ago, Lineker said:

Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) had wanted Snyder to testify under a subpoena as part of their investigation into the franchise's workplace culture, but Snyder wanted to do so voluntarily and, therefore, not under oath. The committee eventually agreed to let him do so voluntarily.

Totally normal behavior. 

[gunnar hendershow]

Things you do when you did nothing wrong.

[Maxx]

How the hell do you get to testify to Congress not under oath? 

[Lineker]

 

[gunnar hendershow]

56 minutes ago, Maxx said:

How the hell do you get to testify to Congress not under oath? 

Be rich

[Lineker]

Just now, damhausen said:

Be rich

@Rich can you confirm this?

[Rich]

20 minutes ago, Lineker said:

@Rich can you confirm this?

Oath, smoath

[The Buscher]

Bucs Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen got carted off with what appears to be a major knee injury.  Won’t know the extent of the injury for a while but everyone’s first assumption with stuff like this is that it’ll end up being a torn ACL, which would be real bad news for Brady right from the jump.

Unfortunately training camp and preseason injuries are a roulette wheel, every year you know some big names will go down before the season and you just hope it’s not your team.

[LL!]

1 hour ago, CM Busch said:

Bucs Pro Bowl center Ryan Jensen got carted off with what appears to be a major knee injury.  Won’t know the extent of the injury for a while but everyone’s first assumption with stuff like this is that it’ll end up being a torn ACL, which would be real bad news for Brady right from the jump.

Unfortunately training camp and preseason injuries are a roulette wheel, every year you know some big names will go down before the season and you just hope it’s not your team.

Brady retires again in 3... 2...

[gunnar hendershow]

Back-to-back weeks of Calais Campbell and Aaron Donald for the Bucs these season.

[Lineker]

 

[gunnar hendershow]

Good thing they upgraded QB this offseason. Oh...

[Your Mom]

Yeah I don't get that. Who is even throwing to him these days?

[LL!]

41 minutes ago, Your Mom said:

Yeah I don't get that. Who is even throwing to him these days?

Why noted greatest QB in the league Drew Lock, of course. 

Also more good news in Seattle: Jamal Adams reagggrivated his hand injury and is out with no return timetable. 

[The Buscher]

I still feel like the Niners are only keeping Jimmy G at the moment because they assume Seattle will just swoop in and sign him if and when they have to release him.  I mean he's not great either but he's certainly better than Drew Lock.

[livid]

Supposedly they had a trade lined up before he decided to get surgery. The next day the Commanders traded for Carson Wentz so make of that what you will.

They were waiting for him to heal from the surgery because he had a $7M injury guarantee. Now that he's passed a physical though, they wouldn't be on the hook for that and can basically clear his total $25M salary for next to nothing if they cut him. So they'll see how training camp goes and then cut him before Week 1 if nothing materializes. 

[Lineker]

On 26/07/2022 at 21:24, Krabby said:

So I don't know if this was brought up re: Kyler Murray's extension but he is now contractually obligated to do 4 hours of "homework" each week in preparation for upcoming games 

https://sports.yahoo.com/kyler-murrays-study-hall-clause-is-a-bizarre-move-by-the-arizona-cardinals-054401580.html

The clause has now been cut from the contract:

 

[LL!]

2 hours ago, Lineker said:

The clause has now been cut from the contract:

 

2 Little 2 L8 M8

[Lineker]