The NFL has hired Terry Lenzner's Investigative Group
Int'l, DC-based private investigators "known for probing the
private lives of political candidates," to help league execs
make background checks on potential Redskins Owner Howard
Milstein's investment group, according to Thomas Heath of
the WASHINGTON POST. NFL VP/Communications Greg Aiello said
that the firm "will assist in the examinations" of Milstein,
his brother, Edward, and MD business exec Daniel Snyder.
Aiello noted that this is not the first instance of the NFL
using an outside firm "to help in an investigation," but
that it is the first time Terry Lenzner's Investigative
Group has been hired by the league. Lenzner's firm has a
client list that includes Mike Tyson and President Clinton,
who, along with his personal attorneys, hired Lenzner "to
investigate who was financing Paula Jones's sexual
misconduct lawsuit against the president" (WASHINGTON POST,
2/24). In DC, Liz Clarke reports that area politicians, are
"frustrated" by the NFL's actions and are "calling on [NFL]
owners to expedite approval of the sale of the team." U.S.
Rep. James Moran (D-VA) said Milstein and Snyder "won the
deal fair and square," and said of NFL owners: "I just don't
like the idea of these clubby groups of rich guys taking
their sweet time" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/24).
KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY STACK: ESPN's Chris Mortensen
reported that one NFL team owner said that the NFL's Finance
Committee "is concerned" with the Milstein bid because
Milstein's "clout is in family money, tied up in real
estate, with not enough liquid assets" (ESPN, 2/23).