The Washington Commanders have added another budding scandal under their Christmas tree of shame.
The Washington Commanders Charitable Foundation, which receives upward of 75% of its donations from fans and the public, is operating in a manner that calls into question whether it is upholding its charitable mission responsibly, according to two independent watchdog groups and an ESPN analysis of financial documents.
The nonprofit watchdog groups, CharityWatch and the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, examined the charity’s tax filings and said there are enough apparent red flags to warrant attention from attorneys general in the two states where it operates, Maryland and Virginia. Attorneys general regulate nonprofits on the state level and have authority to levy civil penalties.
Interested parties, including ESPN, reportedly began poking around after the Commanders’ botched 50/50 raffle. The charity reportedly has oversight issues and has made unusual payments, among other concerns.
Daniel Snyder, folks. He just has to drag the Lombardi Trophy around the Fedex Field parking lot George Constanza-style. Then he will have done it all and can sell the team. Followed by a run for the Republican nomination in 2024 or 2028.
Side note: It won’t happen. But if the Commanders make the playoffs, Ron Rivera should be NFL coach of the year. With all due respect to Brian Daboll and Nick Sirianni, think about it. Rivera works for a horrid owner, surrounded by endless turmoil. He had Carson Wentz foisted upon him. The Brian Robinson incident. And now he’s about to have a winning record (including a victory over the Eagles) with Taylor Heinicke at quarterback. Rivera should be coach of the decade, honestly.
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James Kratch can be reached at james.kratch@xlmedia.com
