http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=B22B33DE-61C3-4FFD-93C3-7A1E8E9AC966 NFL hiring veteran Dem operative
By: Anna Palmer
September 16, 2014 09:31 AM EDT
The embattled National Football League is going on offense in Washington bringing on a new top lobbyist as it faces scrutiny over how it handles domestic violence and sex assault cases.
Embroiled in a major public relations crisis, the NFL took action Tuesday drafting veteran Democratic operative Cynthia Hogan, who served as a key Senate aide behind the passage of the Violence Against Women Act, as its new Washington office head.
She will be the league’s first female top lobbyist and comes on board after the NFL engaged in a protracted job search that included several rounds of interviews and dozens of candidates.
Until now, Goodell has privately answered questions from many top lawmakers about the league’s handling of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice brutally striking his then-fiancée, according to statements from lawmakers and K Street sources. Several of the league’s network of lobbyists have also been quietly taking the temperature of lawmakers to gauge just how much political trouble the league is in, according to sources familiar with the situation. This effort will be ramped up if lawmakers move to question Goodell and other NFL officials in official congressional hearings.
Hogan is stepping into this job at a critical time for the league.
She served as counsel to Vice President Joe Biden and also served as staff director of the Senate Judiciary Committee when Biden was in the Senate. Since leaving Biden’s office last summer, she has been serving as a consultant. She will have a broad range of issues in her portfolio, including the NFL’s political action committee. Hogan, who was hired to help the NFL regain credibility on domestic violence issues, is expected to make an assessment of the NFL’s Washington presence and will examine the strategy and personnel both internally and externally, according to an NFL insider.
The league, which keeps Elmendorf Ryan, Covington & Burling and Glover Park Group on retainer, could bring on additional K Street firepower.
Hogan comes on board following a major internal shake-up in which Goodell named a new vice president of social responsibility. He also brought on a number of senior advisers to help the league create an educational program and process for handling domestic violence and sexual assault cases.
Goodell sent teams and NFL staff a memo Monday announcing it has also retained three senior advisers — Lisa Friel, Jane Randel and Rita Smith — to help shape the league’s policies and programs regarding domestic violence.
“We are committed to developing our talent and putting the best people behind our most important priorities,” Goodell wrote in a memo to teams and staff. “We are continuing to develop our organization to strengthen our ability to address the wide range of issues we face and other changes in our office will be announced soon. Our goal is to make a real difference on these and other issues. We know that we will be judged by our actions and their effectiveness.”
The aggressive lineup changes come as the league is facing widespread criticism from lawmakers, prominent women’s groups and even some sportscasters in the aftermath of Rice being indefinitely suspended from the NFL after a video surfaced showing the February incident. Recent news that Minnesota Vikings superstar running back Adrian Peterson was indicted on child abuse charges in Texas has only fed fuel to the fire. After initially deactivating Peterson, the Vikings are now allowing him to practice and he is expected to return to Minnesota’s lineup.
Goodell’s actions have not quieted the NFL’s critics.
National Organization for Women President Terry O’Neill said it is still imperative Goodell steps down and that further action in Washington is necessary. O’Neill said NOW is having internal discussions about reaching out to NFL sponsors and advertisers, particularly those that sell products to women, about boycotting the league.
“He only listens when he has a PR crisis. That’s the opposite of leadership,” said O’Neill, who wants lawmakers to hold NFL hearings.
The NFL Players Association’s plans to challenge the decision to suspend Rice indefinitely is complicating the NFL’s political standing in Washington. It’s also unclear how the players association will respond to calls from lawmakers to enact a “zero tolerance” policy when it comes to domestic violence. An NFLPA spokesman declined to comment.
The league isn’t just facing issues regarding domestic violence; there are numerous political fires that could be affected by its damaged reputation. League officials will most likely face questions on Capitol Hill on a variety of issues this fall, including the Federal Communications Commission’s proposed ending of the so-called blackout rule. The NFL has long opposed any changes to the long-standing rule that requires games to be sold out before they are broadcast in the home team’s TV market.
Lawmakers are also likely to investigate the NFL’s recent announcement that 1 in 3 players will likely sustain brain trauma. And, if tax reform moves next year, the league’s nonprofit tax status is sure to come under scrutiny. Other major issues on its plate include online gambling and continued reauthorization of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act.
Congress has a history of conducting investigations into sports leagues, such as when the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held hearings about the use of steroids in professional baseball, though the chamber had little recourse to enforce changes in how sports govern themselves.
