Commanders spokesperson rips DC attorney general before 'major announcement' about team
Spokesperson said Karl Racine is 'more interested in making splashy headlines'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Washington, D.C., Attorney General Karl Racine will make a "major announcement about the Washington Commanders" at 1 p.m. ET Thursday, he tweeted Wednesday afternoon.
In response, a spokesperson for the team sent a statement to ESPN, ripping the attorney general.
The spokesperson bashed Racine for focusing on the organization rather than crime in the D.C. area, including the shooting of Commanders running back Brian Robinson.
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A Washington Commanders helmet on the field before a game against the Tennessee Titans at FedExField Oct. 9, 2022, in Landover, Md. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
"Less than three months ago, a 23-year-old player on our team was shot multiple times in broad daylight. Despite the out-of-control violent crimes in DC, today the Washington Commanders learned for the first time on Twitter that the D.C. Attorney General will be holding a press conference to ‘make a major announcement’ related to the organization tomorrow," the spokesperson said.
"The Commanders have fully cooperated with the AG's investigation for nearly a year. As recently as Monday, a lawyer for the team met with the AG who did not suggest at that time that he intended to take any action and, in fact, revealed fundamental misunderstandings of the underlying facts. It is unfortunate that, in his final days in office, Mr. Racine appears more interested in making splashy headlines, based on offbeat legal theories, rather than doing the hard work of making the streets safe for our citizens, including bringing to justice the people who shot one of our players."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Racine’s office launched an investigation into the team around the time the U.S. House Committee of Oversight and Reform referred its case, which began with workplace issues, to the Federal Trade Commission over potential fiduciary violations.
The committee in April sent a letter to the FTC alleging the team engaged in potentially unlawful financial conduct and that there was evidence of deceptive business practices for more than 10 years, including withholding ticket revenue from visiting teams and refundable deposits from fans.
Washington, D.C., Attorney General Karl Racine speaks during a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol Dec. 14, 2021. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Washington denied withholding ticket revenue from other teams, and a law firm representing the organization sent a letter to the FTC disputing the allegations.
Owners Dan and Tanya Snyder revealed last week they hired Bank of America to "consider potential transactions," and Jeff Bezos and Jay-Z are reportedly set to make an offer.
Dan Snyder, co-owner and co-CEO of the Washington Commanders, poses for photos during an event to unveil the team's new identity Feb. 2, 2022, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Racine did not file for re-election this year, so his term ends Jan. 3, 2023.
Two juveniles — a 17-year-old and 14-year-old — have been arrested for their involvement in Robinson's shooting.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.