12.02.14

Cantwell: NFL Needs to Show Stronger Leadership on Domestic Violence

Senator: ‘My constituents are just flabbergasted that the NFL continues to enjoy a tax exempt status’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a Senate committee hearing today on domestic violence in professional sports, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) urged the National Football League to show stronger  leadership in addressing domestic abuse and changing the name of the Washington, D.C. franchise.

“My constituents are just flabbergasted that the NFL continues to enjoy a tax exempt status,” said Cantwell during Tuesday’s hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. “On these issues of having a hateful name for a team, and then having these cases of domestic violence – the NFL is not showing the leadership that I believe it should. And it certainly doesn’t deserve the tax exempt status.”

The hearing focused on professional sports leagues’ policies on domestic violence amid controversy over the NFL’s handling of disciplinary action against running back Ray Rice.  Cantwell and other committee members questioned witnesses about whether the leagues’ policies do enough to hold players accountable and protect victims.

Witnesses included representatives from the NFL, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and National Hockey League, as well as representatives of the various players associations.

“We saw this case with Donald Sterling, and we saw immediate and swift action,” said Cantwell, referring to the NBA’s decision to ban former Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling from the league.  “It is clear that in some cases, these organizations can act swiftly and do act swiftly. The question is, in this issue of domestic violence, why you don’t? What is the culture within these organizations that prevent them from acting as swiftly as in the case of Donald Sterling?”

Cantwell (D-WA), along with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) introduced legislation earlier this year that would revoke the NFL’s tax-exempt status if it continues to promote the current name of the team in Washington, D.C. Many tribes and civil rights organizations have called on the team to change because it is considered a racial slur.                

Witnesses at the hearing included:

  • Troy Vincent, the NFL’s Executive Vice President of Football Operations
  • Joe Torre, MLB’s Executive Vice President
  • Kathleen Behrens, the NBA’s Executive Vice President for Social Responsibility and Player Programs
  • Jessica Berman, NHL Vice President and Deputy General Counsel
  • Teri Patterson, Deputy Managing Director of the NFL Players Association
  • Steve Fehr, Special Counsel of the NHL Players Association
  • Michele Roberts, Executive Director of the NBA Players Association

Below is a transcript of Cantwell’s remarks.

“We saw this case with Donald Sterling, and we saw immediate and swift action. In fact, Michael Jordan praised the NBA saying, a powerful message was sent that there can be ‘zero tolerance for racism and hatred.’

“It is clear that in some cases these organizations can act swiftly and do act swiftly. The question is, in this issue of domestic violence, why you don’t?

“What we are hearing from many of my colleagues today is, what is the culture within these organizations that prevent them from acting as swiftly as in the case of Donald Sterling?

“I am going to submit some questions for the record, but I also, too, want to be on record. I am hearing from my constituents as I have raised this issue related to what is a very hateful name in association with the NFL -- my constituents are just flabbergasted that the NFL continues to enjoy a tax exempt status. For what purpose?

“And yet, on these issues of having a hateful name for a team, and then having these cases of domestic violence – to say nothing of the incidents of what happened in Florida with players – the NFL is not showing the leadership that I believe it should, and it certainly doesn’t deserve the tax exempt status.”

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