The NFL says the league, not the Washington Commanders, will investigate sexual harassment allegations against team owner Dan Snyder

By David Close, CNN

Updated 2324 GMT (0724 HKT) February 9, 2022

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(CNN)An independent investigation into sexual harassment allegations againstWashington Commanders owner Dan Snyder will be conducted by the NFL and not the team, a National Football League spokesperson said Wednesday.

The Commanders earlier had announced the hiring of a private firm headed by two former federal prosecutors to investigate the allegations against Snyder.The Commanders said the firm, Pallas Global Group LLC, retained Debra Wong Yang, a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP in Los Angeles and a former judge, to manage an independent investigation into Tiffani Johnston's allegations against Snyder. «Last week, the league stated that we will review and consider Ms. Johnston's allegations as we would any others regarding workplace conduct at the Washington Commanders,» NFL vice president of communications Brian McCarthy said Wednesday. «The league, not the team, will conduct an independent investigation and will be retaining an investigator to determine the facts shortly.»Johnston, a former cheerleader and marketing and events coordinator for the team, told a House Oversight Committee roundtable last week that Snyder allegedly put his hand on her thigh during a dinner and aggressively pushed her toward his limousine with his hand on her lower back as she fended off advances. Read MoreOversight committee raises concerns over NFL investigation into workplace culture a day after hearing new allegation against team owner Dan SnyderJordan Siev, an attorney for Snyder, said in a statement: «The Commanders have now engaged an