Comer Blasts Democrats for Sham Investigation into Washington Commanders

WASHINGTON — Today, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) blasted Democrats for using the Committee’s taxpayer-funded resources to push a sham investigation into the National Football League’s (NFL) Washington Commanders. In a letter to Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member Comer emphasized the importance of returning the Committee to its mission of rooting out waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the federal government and highlighted how this investigation only aims to distract the American people from the Biden Administration’s reckless policies which have resulted in historic inflation, skyrocketing energy prices, and a national security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border.     

“As you are well aware, the primary mission of the House Oversight and Reform Committee is to root out waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the federal government. Unfortunately, your so-called ‘investigation’ into the Washington Commanders lacks even any foundation for exercising congressional oversight authority. Instead, your ‘investigation’ appears to be a quest to distract the American public from the Biden Administration’s failed policies that have led to the highest level of inflation in over 40 years, skyrocketing energy costs, and a near catastrophic border crisis. You are using the Committee’s resources to publicly attack a private company with no connection to the federal government,” wrote Ranking Member Comer. 

The Democrats’ investigation relies on one-sided testimony from Jason Friedman, a disgruntled ex-employee who had limited access to the Commanders’ finances, was fired for violating team policies, and has his own history of creating a toxic workplace. Instead of speaking to the team or the NFL, Democrats have parroted Friedman’s unsupported allegations of financial improprieties, provided the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with potentially fraudulent claims, and hastily requested the FTC initiate their own investigation.    

“The facts, as laid out in the Team’s letter to the FTC, show that Mr. Friedman is not a reliable witness and there is ample contrary evidence—evidence you have not sought,” continued Ranking Member Comer. “Rather than vet his claims, you publicly repeated them. As you are aware, under 18 U.S.C. 1001, it is a crime to knowingly and willfully make any materially false, fictious, or fraudulent statement or representation to Congress, including congressional staff. In light of the counter story provided in the Team’s FTC letter, we request that you evaluate whether Mr. Friedman should be: 1) offered the opportunity to amend his prior statement or 2) referred to the Department of Justice for investigation into the veracity of his statements to Congress… Your reckless, ends-oriented investigation is an embarrassment to our Committee and a misuse of congressional oversight authority. It is yet another example of Democrats exceeding the bounds of what is permissible for Congress to investigate.”  
 

Read the letter here.