In his effort to "uncover the source of defamatory online articles published by a media company based in India, Washington Football Team owner Daniel Snyder has broadened his reach to include the Baltimore-based investment firm Moag & Company," according to Liz Clarke of the WASHINGTON POST. Lawyers for Snyder yesterday filed petitions "seeking broad access to communications" between Moag and Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide, which "published and later removed the articles at the insistence of Snyder’s lawyers." Moag has been retained by the Washington Football Team’s three minority owners -- Robert Rothman, Dwight Schar and Frederick Smith -- to "find a buyer or buyers for their collective stake in the franchise, estimated at 40 percent." Attorney Joe Tacopina said this is not a lawsuit against Moag Chair & CEO John A. Moag but a filing "seeking information that all ties back to the MEAWW article," as they believe the firm has "relevant information regarding that same defamation campaign against Mr. Snyder.” The petition alleges that "on or around July 9, Moag contacted a potential buyer who said he was interested in buying only a majority stake in the Washington NFL team rather than a minority share." According to the petition, Moag "replied that Snyder soon would be selling his interest in the team." The petition states that when the potential buyer "voiced skepticism," Moag "replied that Snyder 'would have no choice but to do so soon thereafter due to negative information that would be released imminently'" (WASHINGTON POST, 9/16).
