WASHINGTON (AP) – Members of Congress from both parties on Wednesday questioned NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s handling of a domestic violence incident involving former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice.
Twelve Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee sent Goodell a letter calling for greater transparency from the NFL, and Republican Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada said Goodell had not acted swiftly enough to punish Rice.
“I fear the failure of the NFL to understand the scope and severity of this act of domestic violence has already led to significant damage for vulnerable members of society,” Heller said, adding that he was “highly disappointed” that Goodell and the NFL did not take severe action against Rice until after a security video of Rice punching his then-fiancee on a casino elevator was made public.
“By waiting to act until it was made public you effectively condoned the action of the perpetrator himself,” Heller wrote in a letter to Goodell. “I cannot and will not tolerate that position by anybody, let alone the National Football League.”
The letters by Heller and the House Democrats both state that the NFL’s prominence gives the league a special obligation to forcefully address issues of domestic violence.