The independent probe of the Washington Football Team is expected to be delivered to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell within the next month, sources with knowledge of the investigation told Front Office Sports.
Once the investigation of allegations of sexual harassment concludes, WFT owner Dan Snyder could face a fine, suspension and/or the team could be docked draft picks. Sources interviewed for this story said they don’t believe there’s enough to warrant the removal of Snyder as the owner at this point in the investigation.
As part of the probe, email accounts of current and former team employees have been examined in recent months.
The emails reveal a toxic work environment and contain troubling exchanges, including nude photos and other inappropriate correspondence, one source told FOS.
One of those troubling exchanges came from vocal Snyder critic Donald Wells, who directed the WFT’s cheerleading squad for 12 years. Wells, one of the first openly gay employees of the WFT, lobbied for Snyder to be held responsible for the claims of workplace harassment that existed at WFT for years, allegations that are the focus of the investigation led by former assistant U.S. attorney Beth Wilkinson.
“They took advantage of (the cheerleaders) and did things to other people in the office, including me,” Wells told FOS. “What went on there was way worse than that (email). My gosh.”
Unfortunately, Wells himself is implicated in that behavior.
“She is a fat cross eyed, crazy chick,” Wells wrote from his WFT email account in September of 2007 after a member of the cheerleading team put in her notice. “… I am sure she will enjoy taking trashy pictures while she eats her big macs :).”
Wells, however, said he didn’t recall sending the email obtained by Front Office Sports.
During his interview on the popular DC morning show, Wells touted a Change.org petition spearheaded by former WFT cheerleader and marketing director Melanie Coburn that calls for Wilkinson’s report to be made public and “hold Dan Snyder accountable for the history of serial sexual harassment within his organization.”
The petition has more than 38,000 signatures. Coburn also spoke to investigators.
