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“Let’s discuss with ethics”: Jets owner, as ambassador, fielded requests from wealthy businessmen, records show
When the New York Jets arrive in London for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings — one of three NFL matchups this year being played across the pond — it’ll be a homecoming of sorts for the team’s owner.
Robert Wood Johnson IV, known as “Woody,” was ambassador to the United Kingdom during the Trump administration. But if Johnson thought he was leaving football behind when he secured the post of top diplomat to a crucial ally, records show his status as a former (and future) NFL executive followed him. He and his staff repeatedly looped in State Department ethics personnel as wealthy people from both sides of the Atlantic sought favors.
For instance, on April 9, 2018, Johnson received a request from Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, according to documents obtained from the State Department through a Freedom of Information Act request.
“Mr. Khan is going to be in Paris in May for a CEO conference. He would like to bring a group of the CEOs and their spouses to the Embassy in Paris for a tour,” wrote a staffer for Johnson seeking guidance. “With that said, the Ambassador has asked us to check with [redacted] to see if this is something that he can help with.”
The names of many of the senders and recipients of emails obtained by CBS News were redacted by the State Department, citing privacy guidelines. The agency also redacted much of the advice given to Johnson and his staff, citing deliberative privilege.
Khan’s request was “a bit out of the norm for what a (sic) Embassy would do,” wrote one staffer in an email.
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Johnson’s requests for guidance came on both personal and professional matters. He asked for advice when Ukrainian-born oligarch Len Blavatnik, a British and American citizen, invited him to an Arsenal soccer “match in his private box.” The advice in response is redacted.
“Let’s discuss with ethics,” Johnson wrote in an email after being asked to sit for an interview with a person writing a biography of Dan Snyder, then the owner of the team that is now the Washington Commanders.
And Johnson’s ties to the Jets occasionally surfaced in requests, as when a man named Robert Lloyd Griffith — then a representative of an organization called the Cardiff Business Club — said in a letter to Johnson that he’d be in New York the day “that the Jets would be playing the Giants and how it would be special for he and his friends to attend the game.”
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Ambassadors are appointed by presidents and confirmed by the Senate. While most are career diplomats, many are political appointees awarded the prestigious jobs for their support of the president, according to former Ambassador Dennis Jett, a Penn State University professor. Johnson donated more than $1 million to Trump’s first campaign, inaugural committee and a joint fundraising committee bridging the Republican National Committee and Trump’s first reelection campaign.
Jett in 2016 published research that found a correlation between donations and “the quality of diplomatic posting granted by the candidate,” showing countries with strong economies and popular tourism destinations were often rewarded to high-end donors.
But once those donors become ambassadors, they often face requests that career diplomats in lower-profile posts might not field, Jett said.
“It’s probably a good thing that he sent these to an ethics person, though I don’t know what the ethics person would say. It’s not something that involves his official duties,” said Jett, a critic of Johnson who noted a 2020 State Department inspector general report that alleged Johnson made “inappropriate or insensitive comments on topics … such as religion, sex, or color” to employees.
Johnson denied doing so, and said in response to the report, “if I have unintentionally offended anyone in the execution of my duties, I deeply regret that.” In January 2021, the State Department’s Office of Civil Rights concluded that the allegations were unsubstantiated.
A spokesperson for the Jets declined comment after CBS News sent questions for Johnson.
Citing the allegations, Jett said he was “surprised that Johnson has ethical standards high enough” to have sought regular ethics advice.
Johnson even did so when planning his own personal travels. In August 2019, he sought permission to watch a Jets pre-season game in-person, while on personal leave.
“Ambasador – Good news! You can attend the Jets pre-season game. Per the instructions from the State Department Ethics Lawyer, don’t invite anyone with a UK connection to attend the game with you, and no tweets about it. But otherwise, good to go,” wrote then-Deputy Chief of Mission Yael Lempert, a career diplomat.
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Princess Kate and William say teen with terminal cancer invited to photograph the royals “inspired us both”
London — Getting a hug from Catherine, the Princess of Wales, wasn’t even on 16-year-old Liz Hatton’s bucket list. But the budding photographer, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer early this year, not only got an emotional embrace from Princess Kate at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, but was lauded for inspiring Kate as she recovers from her own bout with cancer.
Kate announced only weeks ago that she’d completed chemotherapy after doctors discovered cancer following an abdominal surgery in January. It was that same month that doctors told Hatton she had the extremely rare cancer desmoplastic small round cell tumor — and that she likely only had six months to three years to live.
Scans revealed tumors on Hatton’s ovaries and liver after she experienced abdominal pain over Christmas. Only about a dozen people are diagnosed with the aggressive form of cancer in England every year, according to cancer charity Sarcoma UK, and no standard treatment regimen exists.
In May, with time ticking, Hatton’s mother Vicky Robayna published her daughter’s photography bucket list on social media.
“We hope every day for a lifetime for her but if we can’t achieve that we hope to create her a lifetime of memories,” wrote Robayna. “If we can make even one of her photography bucket-list happen for her she will be beyond delighted.”
Hatton’s list included photographing a major West End musical, the catwalk runway at London Fashion Week, famous music festivals and professional models. It did not include photographing the future British monarch, but Hatton’s mother noted that she’d appreciate “any other photography-based opportunities.”
“Please help us to give her the life she deserves in the short time she has,” her mother said to end the post.
Princess Kate, an avid amateur photographer herself, invited the teenager to help document a private royal award ceremony after her husband William, the Prince of Wales, learned about Hatton through his support of London’s Air Ambulance Charity. On Wednesday, William and Kate welcomed Hatton to Windsor Castle for the event, and then stood with Hatton and her family for some more photos.
“A pleasure to meet with Liz at Windsor today. A talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both,” the royal couple said in a post on their shared social media account. “Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us.”
“Such lovely, genuine and kind people, I’m over the moon that my family and I had this experience,” Hatton wrote in reply.
“It’s a day none of us will ever forget and we are so very grateful to you all,” added her mother.
In June, Hatton’s mother told CBS News’ partner network BBC News that her daughter’s end-of-life diagnosis had “changed all our lives in a way we didn’t expect.”
“We were out looking at universities a month before. It all happened very suddenly,” said Robayna.
Hatton’s mother and father have told their daughter that from now on, just “follow your heart.”
Hatton has since received offers to photograph the productions of “Wicked” and “Cabaret” in London’s West End, in addition to the Royal Marines — and she has already had the opportunity to watch a filming of her favorite TV show.
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High mortgage rates and ever-rising home prices have made it hard for homebuyers lately. But with inflation falling and the Federal Reserve cutting rates, things are starting to get a bit easier. In fact, average mortgage rates just hit a two-year low, and judging by forecasts regarding the Fed’s end-of-year moves, they’re only going to get better from here.
It begs the question: Is it better to lock in today’s rates and buy a house now? Or should you wait until rates fall further to dip your toes in the market? We asked some experts for their thoughts.
Not sure if now is the right time to act? See how low of a mortgage interest rate you could lock in here.
Should you lock in a mortgage rate now?
The answer to this question is a personal one, dependent on multiple factors. Here’s what some experts suggest taking into account:
Can you afford it now?
Experts largely agree that if the numbers work for you now — meaning you can afford the rate and payment you qualify for today — then it’s best to lock that rate and start the home search right away.
“When it comes to locking in a mortgage rate, the right time is really when you’re ready,” says Clint Jordan, a real estate agent and founder of Mil-Estate Real Estate Network.
For one, there’s no guarantee that rates will fall. While forecasts largely call for further rate reductions, “There’s no absolute certainty in financial markets,” Jordan says, and “predicting mortgage rates is like predicting the weather next month. It’s very tough to do accurately.”
For this reason, experts recommend focusing on when the timing is right for you (maybe you need a bigger house as you welcome a new kid, for instance) and when the numbers make sense for your budget. “Trying to time the market is impossible,” Jordan says.
Explore your current mortgage options online today.
Lower rates mean more competition
If rates drop further, it will inevitably bring more buyers into the market. That can increase bidding wars and drive up home prices, making for a more competitive landscape on the whole.
As Darren Tooley, a loan officer at Union Home Mortgage, explains, “The housing inventory issue is far from being fixed, and with a larger pool of potential buyers, that means more competition, which inevitably leads to having to offer well above asking price, offering appraisal guarantees, or anything else a hungry buyer can do to get their offer accepted.”
These drastic measures could lead to increased prices that offset any rate reductions that have happened.
Put simply: “For buyers, it’s better to get in early before competition heats up,” says John Aguirre, a mortgage originator at Loantown.
By waiting, you miss out on wealth-building opportunities
Finally, waiting to lock your rate and buy a house has another repercussion: Lost equity.
“Interest rates may rise and fall, and while you can always refinance, what you can’t recover is the equity and appreciation lost by delaying your purchase,” Jordan says.
This is particularly true for renters, who Jordan says are paying a “100% interest rate, effectively.”
“Take your monthly rent, multiply it by 12, and that’s what you effectively throw away each year,” he says. “Now, add a potential 6% annual appreciation on the home you’re eyeing: that’s the additional equity you’re missing out on. Combine these costs, and you’ll see the real financial impact of waiting another year. That’s real money slipping through your fingers.”
Refinancing is another story
If you’re eyeing a refinance, the answer’s not so easy. Since refinancing comes with closing costs, you’ll need to run the numbers to make sure the rate reduction is enough to warrant the upfront costs of the loan. If it’s not, then waiting for a lower rate might be best. If the rate on your current loan is particularly high, though, even small rate reductions can make a difference.
“Although rates will most likely continue to go down over the next year or longer, waiting to refinance carries a cost, especially if you pay 7% or higher on your current loan,” Tooley says. “Waiting another month or two to save another .125% or .25% actually would most likely cost you more money than if you could pay off your 7% rate today.”
At the bare minimum, experts say you should start working with a loan officer and getting an application in if a refinance is on your agenda.
“I am already flooded with refi inquiries,” says Debra Shultz, vice president of lending at CrossCountry Mortgage. “I’ve been advising my clients to get their applications in now so we have plenty of time to get their appraisal and title ordered, loan approved and then sit back and relax as we evaluate the interest rate environment. We can pull the trigger on a rate lock when we feel they have come down enough to achieve a lower payment they’re happy with.”
The bottom line
If you’re not sold on locking your rate right now, shop around for lenders that offer float-downs. As Shultz explains, “Some lenders offer a float-down option, allowing you to lock your rate, but adjust it downward if rates fall prior to closing.” Typically, float-downs come with a fee, but if the rate reduction is enough, it can more than pay for itself over time. Talk to a loan officer if you need help deciding if a rate lock is smart in your situation, as well. They can run the numbers and make personalized recommendations based on your budget.
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