The Washington Commanders have responded to the letter sent last week by Congress to the Federal Trade Commission by taking direct aim at former club employee Jason Friedman, calling him “disgruntled” and “vindictive,” describing his testimony on the situation as false or uniformed, and throwing mud at him regarding the circumstances of his separation from employment.
Lawyers Lisa Banks and Debra Katz, who represent Friedman and other former employees of the team, issued a statement in response to the 18-page letter sent by Commanders outside attorney Jordan Siev to the FTC.
“Mr. Friedman stands by his testimony, which was truthful and based on his experiences with the team,” they said. “He is happy to answer follow-up questions from Congress, the FTC, or any government agency. My client is also prepared to defend himself publicly against these baseless allegations if Mr. Snyder permits him to do so. In the meantime, we will communicate directly with the team about these demonstratively false allegations.”
This statement alludes to the likely existence of a non-disclosure agreement that prevents Friedman from talking. A prior statement from Banks likewise hinted at such a restriction.
Regardless of how the information is presented, it’s critical that all parties have an opportunity to hash it out, somewhere.