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Omaha Steve

(99,705 posts) Wed Sep 10, 2014, 09:46 PM Sep 2014

Congress probes NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Ray Rice case

Source: USA Today

Jim Corbett

Twelve House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Democrats sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Wednesday demanding "the highest level of transparency" concerning how the league investigated the Ray Rice domestic violence incident.

Goodell made clear in interviews Tuesday night with USA TODAY Sports and CBS that he does not feel his job is in jeopardy.

But clearly his handling of the Rice domestic violence issue is not going away and is reminiscent of the heat Congress and the House have increased on Goodell over changing the offensive nature of the Washington Redskins team name.

In relation to the graphic Revel Casino elevator video showing Rice striking his then-fiance (now wife) Janay Palmer on Feb. 15, Wednesday's letter stamped with the official Congress of the United States House of Representative letterhead demanded that Goodell reveal more about the league's investigative efforts to obtain the video acquired and aired by the TMZ website.

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/09/10/roger-goodell-congress-letter-john-conyers-ray-rice/15394317/

9 replies

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Congress probes NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Ray Rice case (Original Post) Omaha Steve Sep 2014 OP

Isn't the government supposed to be in charge of punishing criminals?? Calista241 Sep 2014 #1

The NFL enjoys non-profit status.... Congress needs to hold the NFL accountable groundloop Sep 2014 #4

Only the league office is non-profit. former9thward Sep 2014 #6

Here you go, NJ again. proverbialwisdom Sep 2014 #9

huh? smiley Sep 2014 #2

Goodell works for the non-profit NFL tooeyeten Sep 2014 #3

Congress allows NFL to breathe cosmicone Sep 2014 #5

Congress does not control its non-profit status. former9thward Sep 2014 #7

I assume the NFL league office is non-profit Calista241 Sep 2014 #8

Calista241

(5,586 posts)

1. Isn't the government supposed to be in charge of punishing criminals??

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Wed Sep 10, 2014, 10:14 PM

Sep 2014

Ray Rice is an idiotic, lying, violent asshole that beats his wife. I'm glad he doesn't have a job, and I hope he becomes persona non grata for the NFL.

That being said, I do not believe it should be up to employers to punish their employees for crimes. That is a job for prosecutors, the police, and the justice system. If the government had thrown Ray Rice in jail, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

Furthermore, wtf is congress going to say? Are they going to accuse Goodell of not punishing Ray Rice enough? The NFL is under no legal obligation to punish Ray Rice in any form or fashion. Ray Rice has lost his job, and has zero prospects for future employment in his chosen field. What more could they have done?

groundloop

(11,521 posts)

4. The NFL enjoys non-profit status.... Congress needs to hold the NFL accountable

Reply to Calista241 (Reply #1)

Wed Sep 10, 2014, 11:27 PM

Sep 2014

Granted, a lot of the reason Congress is getting involved is purely political grandstanding. However, since the NFL enjoys non-profit status yet rakes in $Billions of dollars per year they most certainly should be held accountable for how they conduct their business.

former9thward

(32,071 posts)

6. Only the league office is non-profit.

Reply to groundloop (Reply #4)

Thu Sep 11, 2014, 12:43 AM

Sep 2014

The teams are all profit and pay taxes like any other company.

proverbialwisdom

(4,959 posts)

9. Here you go, NJ again.

Reply to Calista241 (Reply #1)

Thu Sep 11, 2014, 12:24 PM

Sep 2014

https://www.facebook.com/protectnow/photos/a.160060797371682.34863.110806432297119/818932221484533/

Protect
September 9

If you listen to the hyperventilating pundits on television, you might believe the Ray Rice assault case is an indictment of the “culture” of the NFL. How could the league—commentators ask as they go to the instant replay over and over again—have not seen this video?! The NFL must really hate women. Roll that tape again.

Meanwhile, there is another party that we KNOW saw the Ray Rice assault footage months ago and actually had the legal responsibility to take action: New Jersey prosecutor Jim McClain (a Chris Christie appointee). McClain had all the evidence you now see on national television, yet he gave Rice a sweetheart deal to avoid jail and go play football. There's no reason to think McClain is any weaker on prosecution of cases like this than his colleagues nationwide.

If you watch enough Ray Rice coverage, you’ll hear the squandered prosecution brought up every so often, like a lonely footnote. It invariably results in brief sputtering, then it's back to the tape!

Anyone even remotely serious about violence against women and girls realizes that the culture we should be worried about is not the NFL’s, it’s ours.

smiley

(1,432 posts)

2. huh?

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Wed Sep 10, 2014, 10:18 PM

Sep 2014

I think congress has better things they could be doing with their time. And if they feel the need to weigh in, maybe they should be contacting the Atlantic City prosecutor to see why Ray Rice got such a lenient sentence.

What's next? Hearings such as what we saw with the steroids in baseball scandal? What a complete waste of taxpayer money IMO.

tooeyeten

(1,074 posts)

3. Goodell works for the non-profit NFL

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Wed Sep 10, 2014, 10:57 PM

Sep 2014

They deserve an investigation by Congress.

cosmicone

(11,014 posts)

5. Congress allows NFL to breathe

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Wed Sep 10, 2014, 11:56 PM

Sep 2014

Congress controls its non-profit status but even more importantly, controls the safe harbor from anti-trust granted to the NFL. Without the safe harbor, NFL will just be one of many leagues competing for the same audience, players and TV ratings and the NFL's power would be only about a third of what it is now.

former9thward

(32,071 posts)

7. Congress does not control its non-profit status.

Reply to cosmicone (Reply #5)

Thu Sep 11, 2014, 12:45 AM

Sep 2014

The IRS does. Also the NFL is not non-profit. Only the league office is. The teams are profit and taxed as such.

Calista241

(5,586 posts)

8. I assume the NFL league office is non-profit

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Thu Sep 11, 2014, 01:00 AM

Sep 2014

Is to avoid potential corruption charges. If the league were to make money, they could be swayed to make higher market teams more successful.

One of the accomplishments of the NFL is team parity. Any year, any team can be highly successful. This contrasts greatly with the other sports leagues.

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