Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder hires firm to investigate allegations of sexual harassment

Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder is hiring an independent investigative team, led by former Assistant United States Attorneys Bonnie Jonas and Tiffany Moller, to look into allegations of sexual harassment made last week by Tiffani Johnston, a team official told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

During a congressional roundtable Thursday, Johnston accused Snyder of touching her without her consent at a work dinner about 13 years ago. Snyder issued a statement denying her allegations.

The franchise says it is committed to a thorough and independent investigation of Johnston's allegation and pledges full cooperation. The team led by Jonas and Moller of Pallas Global Group LLC will release its findings to the public at the conclusion of the investigation.

The Commanders informed NFL officials of this development Wednesday morning, a league source told Schefter.

Pallas Global Group also has retained Debra Wong Yang to help lead the investigation. Yang is a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP in Los Angeles and previously served as the firm's Chair of the White Collar Defense and Investigations Practice Group.

Johnston, a former marketing and events coordinator for the team, told the House Committee for Oversight and Reform that she was «strategically» placed next to Snyder at a work dinner «not to discuss business, but to allow him, Dan Snyder, to place his hand on my thigh under the table.»

Johnston also said Snyder «aggressively pushed me toward his limo with his hand on my lower back, encouraging me to ride with him to my car» later that night, after the dinner. She said the «only reason Dan Snyder removed his hand from my back and stopped pushing me toward his limo was because his attorney intervened and said 'Dan, Dan,