Senior White House official calls NFL handling of domestic violence "really deeply troubling"
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It seems like every other day there is another new story about the NFL and domestic violence, so here is another one for the pile of depressing non-football NFL coverage.
Earlier this year the Obama administration wanted to renew pressure on colleges and universities to address sexual assaults on campuses all across America. He then appointed a task force of administration officials to coordinate federal enforcement efforts to reduce and handle cases of sexual assaults in America. According to a report released by that task force:
One in five students has been assaulted, but just 12 percent of them report the violence.
The Obama administration is in full PR mode with "It's On Us" campaign that is meant to promote awareness of sexual assault on college campuses. Their campaign specifically targets college campus assaults, however it is easy to see how that issue relates to the recent domestic violence incidents in the NFL.
According to CBS News a senior official in the White House has viewed the NFL's handling of domestic violence incidents as "deeply troubling" and also stated:
The NFL has an obligation not only to their fans but to the American people to properly discipline anyone involved in domestic violence or child abuse and more broadly, gain control of the situation... Many of these professional athletes are marketed as role models to young people and so their behavior does have the potential to influence these young people, and it's one of the many reasons it's important that the league get a handle on this and have a zero tolerance.
Others in Washington are also chiming in on the incident, 16 female Senators sent a letter to Roger Goodell demanding that the NFL institute a "real zero-tolerance policy" for cases of domestic abuse. One of those Senators, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, had harsh words for the embattled commissioner stating on CBS's Face the Nation:
I think the way the NFL handled this was awful. It was outrageous... They had all the facts they needed. They had a player who admitted to beating his wife. They had video of him dragging her out an elevator. There was nothing left to determine. That player should've been fired immediately. So we are now looking to the commissioner to enforce a zero-tolerance policy.
Not every political figure is so critical of Goodell, the Governor of New Jersey and possible presidential candidate Chris Christie is a supporter of the commissioner. The Governor and Goodell worked together during the lead up to the recent Super Bowl that was played in New Jersey. When asked on whether Goodell should be fired Christie stated:
I absolutely believe Roger Goodell is a good, honest, decent man that has great integrity. He’s admitted he made a mistake in the Rice case in his initial [handling of the incident]... We have to be a society that considers the totality of somebody’s work and their life.. In my mind, if I were an NFL owner, I’d be voting to keep Roger Goodell,
When I look back on Roger Goodell's career, I recall a quote in the midst of the Saints bounty-gate scandal. When Saints officials claimed they were not aware of the alleged bounty on incurring injuries on opposing players Goodell responded "Ignorance is not an excuse". Roger Goodell also made over $35 million last year in salary, bonus and pension compensation as commissioner.
If I were an NFL owner I would ask myself two questions. First, should Goodell be held to his own standard? Second, has Goodell's performance lived up to his exorbitant salary?
What do you think of political figures weighing in on recent domestic abuse incidents in the NFL? Let us know in the comments section below.
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