A leaked video of a recent meeting with executives and staff at the Washington Post has spurred speculation that Bezos, who brought the Post in 2013, might sell it as he moves to acquire the Commanders.
According to the outlet, a source close to the situation said Bezos told the paper’s senior staff in private meetings that he had no plans to sell the paper. However, other sources say they believe the Post is for sale and that Bezos plans to bid. Meanwhile, a second source who buys and sells newspapers said he also heard the paper “might be up for grabs.”
Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder has been forced to put the team up for sale following a raft of investigations by a number of newspapers, as well as congressional hearings and an investigation.
All detail allegations of a toxic workplace culture, including the sexual harassment of women and intimidation of cheerleaders and other women working in the organization; unwelcome overtures or comments of a sexual nature, and exhortations to wear revealing clothing and flirt with clients to close sales deals; accusations of men in Snyder’s inner circle of harassment and verbal abuse.
While Snyder was not accused in the Post’s reporting of sexual harassment, he was blamed for allowing the disturbing culture to develop.
Reports and stories indicate that at one point, 15 women employed by the football team came forward with allegations of sexual harassment and other women executives and staff castigated Snyder for allowing an understaffed human resources department as well as “a sophomoric culture of verbal abuse among top executives that they believed played a role in how those executives treated their employees.”
Court documents and newspaper stories also add that Snyder routinely belittled top executives, according to three former members of his executive staff. In 2009, the Washington Commanders paid a female former employee $1.6 million as part of a confidential settlement, according to the Washington Post. The settlement came after the woman accused Snyder of sexual misconduct, a person familiar with the matter told the newspaper.