'Veiled Racism': Jason Wright Hiring Defended by Dan Snyder Commanders Attorney - EXCLUSIVE Part 4
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The Washington Commanders, and specifically owner Dan Snyder, have come under fire as a result of an ESPN report that Snyder says is full of "falsehoods and lies'' and one that in our exclusive four-part visit with John Brownlee, the team attorney calls "simply ridiculous and utterly false.''
In our communication with Brownlee, we ask about the ESPN story's mention of team president Jason Wright and the suggestion that the Commanders franchise has not been changed for the better because Wright is not truly "empowered'' to oversee any changes.
The Commanders, in short, view this as "veiled racism.''
"We heard the same veiled racism when the team hired Jason,'' a Commanders spokesperson said. "Let’s be clear: Jason earned his position, and he is excelling in it. He is empowered by ownership and has already made significant changes, including work to enhance the team’s diversity and inclusivity.''
Added Brownlee: "Jason Wright has, from Day 1, done such an outstanding job as team president, that there has been little need for Dan to involve himself in the team’s operations.''
Brownlee also makes the point that while "Dan Snyder agreed with the NFL that he would step away from day-to-day operations of for a limited period ... he is no longer under any NFL restriction related to his involvement with the team. (Snyder's wife) Tanya also has been very engaged and hands-on. Tanya continues to represent the Team at NFL meetings as a committed, effective, longstanding co-owner, and one of the small group of women owners.
"That decision is, however, a decision made jointly by Tanya and Dan, and is not as a result of any requirement imposed by the NFL.''
And from Wright himself: “I have been fully empowered by the Snyders to do my job as I see fit. ... I think it is important for the media to make that clear: this organization changed years ago and is a model for what committed leadership can do to transform a workplace when problems are raised to their attention. We are today a far more diverse and inclusive team, with women and people of color holding more than 40 percent of our senior leadership positions.”
As stated by Brownlee, negative takes regarding Wright, 40 and a former NFL player, are really about a "continuing smear campaign'' against Snyder designed to coerce him into selling the team, which the Commanders have stated firmly will not happen.
That assertion comes even in the face of Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay publicly insisting that Snyder be ousted for his alleged mismanagement of the franchise.
In Part 1 of our series, Brownlee explains his assertion of the "smear campaign'' against Snyder.
And to conclude our fourth and final installment, from Wright (via Brownlee): “What I believe is that the team’s ownership made changes years ago that do not receive the respect and attention they are due. Too many workplaces fail to make these changes, and here is an example of a business that did the right thing, decisively, and is committed to doing the right thing. I think it’s easy for people to take false shots at the owners of the team, but it’s actually hard to deliberately fail to report on the important changes they have supported us to make.
"Again, I have been as empowered as any president in this league to drive the change we need.''
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