The back-and-forth between the Washington Commanders and former Commanders employee Jason Friedman continues.
Following a claim by Friedman’s lawyer, Jason Friedman, that a Monday statement from the team defames him, the Commanders have issued this statement, to Daniel Kaplan of TheAthletic.com.
“The Commanders did not reference Mr. Friedman -- or anyone else -- by name in their statement,” Tacopina said. However, if Mr. Friedman believes he has been defamed, he should bring a defamation suit. The Commanders will gladly accept service and vigorously defend any such claim.”
On Monday, attorney Lisa Banks accused the team of defaming Friedman, after the team claimed that anyone who testified that the team withheld ticket revenue from the NFL would be committing perjury.
Tacopina’s statement does not address the portion of the Banks statement that seeking permission for Friedman to tell his story publicly. Why not let him speak? Why not hash it all out in the court of public opinion?
Financial irregularities either did or didn’t occur. Allegations and counter allegations will do nothing to prove that it did or didn’t happen. Let’s see the proof. Let’s see the evidence. Let’s have something more than a seemingly endless stream of competing press releases.
Through it all, the NFL has continued to be conspicuously silent. Whatever the reason for it (and we kicked around some possible motivations on Tuesday’s PFT Live), it’s odd that the NFL has had nothing to add to an unprecedented situation. Even if the Commanders did nothing wrong, no team has ever even been accused of doing something like this.
