If the Commanders do end up back at RFK, they’ll do so with the help of a DC power player.
Hans Nichols of Axios.com reported Tuesday morning that Josh Harris has hired top Senate aide Kirtan Mehta, who most recently was the Chief of Staff for Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper, to the role of Vice President of Public Affairs to assist with the Commanders’ efforts to find their next home.
Mehta, who earned a J.D. from Harvard Law in 2007, has also worked for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and West Virginia Senator. Joe Manchin in his career as counsel and legislative aide, and was also a Global Public Policy counsel for Robinhood.
“As the NFL franchise representing our nation’s capital, the Commanders relationships with federal and local leaders are vital to our organization,” team president Jason Wright said in a statement posted by Axios Nichols. “We’re confident that Kirtan will partner powerfully with them to advance community and policy efforts that benefit our fans and the area at large.”
Harris and Wright have said that all three jurisdictions are in the conversation, and clearly, all three have interest, in the next stadium; Gov. Wes Moore has said, including on Audacy DC air, that Maryland intends to keep the team, while of course there is legislation that has passed the House to give control of the RFK land back to D.C. on a 99-year lease – and, now that Monumental Sports is staying in DC, Virginia, which was spurned in its bid to bring the Caps and Wizards to Alexandria and is already home to Commanders Park, could be back in play.
Mehta is the second big hire for the Commanders this week, as they also announced on Monday the addition of Dave Gardi as Senior Vice President of Football Initiatives after over two decades at the NFL League Office, the last 10 years as SVP of Football Operations.