ANALYSIS/OPINION:
Former U.S. District Judge Barbara Jones certainly made Robert Mueller’s job a lot easier with her ruling that was released Friday that overturned Roger Goodell’s second round of punishment for former Baltimore Raven and women beater Ray Rice.
All the former FBI director has to do is slap a one page cover letter — using, of course, his firm’s stationary, Wilmer-Hale, the same law firm that has done business with the NFL for years and whose former lawyers are working for various teams, including Dick Case, Ravens team president — sign, it and say, “What she said.”
Jones, the arbitration hearing officer for Rice’s appeal, basically did Mueller’s job for him when she determined the evidence that, at the very least, supported the contention that Goodell knew the same facts in July, when Goodell suspended Rice for two games for hitting his then-fiancee, Janay Palmer, as he did in September, when, after TMZ released a video of Rice punching Palmer in the elevator of an Atlantic City casino. The Ravens also released Rice after the second Goodell punishment.
This would seem to indicate that Roger Goodell lied when he told everyone that neither he nor anyone else in the NFL office knew what was on that video when they punished Rice with a two-game suspension the first time — and the commissioner’s contention that Rice lied to him in their meeting before that suspension.
After the video was made public and Goodell came under fire for such a paltry punishment, the commissioner decided to punish Rice again with an indefinite suspension – and claimed Rice had lied to the him about the severity of the attack.
Most reasonable people found it difficult to believe Goodell — especially when the Associated Press reported that the NFL had the elevator beating video as early as April – which the league denied.
Add Barbara Jones to the list of reasonable people that didn’t believe Roger Goodell.
“Because, after careful consideration of all of the evidence, I am not persuaded that Rice lied to, or misled, the NFL at his June interview, I find that the indefinite suspension was an abuse of discretion and must be vacated,” Jones wrote in her decision, calling Goodell’s decision “arbitrary.”
A second punishment for the same incident violates the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Association.
So what does Robert Mueller do now?
How can the former FBI commissioner — hired to conduct a so-called “independent” interview (overseen by NFL owners) — now absolve Goodell in the whitewash after Barbara Jones lowered the boom?
Maybe Mueller can add the memo from NFL general counsel Jeff Pash sent to all the teams following the Jones decision – the memo that basically says Goodell is not the lying weasel that he has appeared to be throughout the Rice case, a view seemingly supported in the Jones ruling.
“No part of Judge Jones’s decision questions the Commissioner’s honesty or integrity, nor his good faith consideration of the issue when he imposed the indefinite suspension on Mr. Rice,” Pash wrote. “Nor is there any suggestion that the Commissioner had seen the video from inside the elevator before it became public, or knew of the contents of the video.”
When your lawyers are sending memos to your bosses that you are not as bad at your job as you appear to be, it’s time to find another job.
Goodell’s most egregious crime may be making Ray Rice a victim in all this.
The whole conversation has gone from the woman who was coldly knocked out by the NFL player in that Atlantic City elevator to everyone rallying to Ray Rice’s side, decrying how wronged he was – and about his right for a second chance.
His former teammate and Ravens union representative, Chris Canty, said he was happy for his former teammate — and now saw this as an opportunity for the union.
“I’m happy for Ray and his family,” Canty said in a text message to The Baltimore Sun. “Glad that he has an opportunity to get back to doing what he loves. I believe that this also presents an opportunity for the NFL and (NFL Players Association) to address the disciplinary process. This process in its current form has failed the players, coaches, NFL employees and, most importantly, our fans.”
Wow — a victory for the good guys.
Former Ravens linebacker Brad Jackson trumpeted the joy of second chances to The Sun.
“Ray has taken 100 percent responsibility for his actions,” Jackson said. “America is a nation of second chances. What transpired is unfortunate, but the judge has made her determination and reinstated him. We’ve seen plenty of people who’ve made mistakes in the past correct their mistakes. That will be a process.”
That’s what it has come to — Rice committed a “mistake” when he knocked his future wife out and dragged her out of the elevator. And now he deserves a “second chance” to play football, as he is being denied some inalienable right and this is somehow written in the Bill of Rights.
The way Roger Goodell handled all this, it’s only a matter of time before everyone believes it was Ray Rice who was knocked out in that elevator.
• Thom Loverro is co-host of “The Sports Fix,” noon to 2 p.m. daily on ESPN 980 and espn980.com.
• Thom Loverro can be reached at tloverro@washingtontimes.com.
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