Pennsylvania Governor Is Suing NCAA Over Penn State Sanctions

For the love of football, and saving face, PA Governor Tom Corbett has vowed to fight the NCAA’s sanctions against Penn State.

According to CNN, he’s blasting the FBI report that was made earlier this year too:

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett announced plans Wednesday to file an anti-trust lawsuit against the NCAA over its sanctions against Penn State University following the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal.

Last July, the NCAA levied unprecedented sanctions against the university, including a fine of $60 million. It also stripped 14 seasons of football victories from late head coach Joe Paterno.

“These sanctions did not punish Sandusky,” or those who allegedly helped cover up his repeated abuse of disadvantaged children, said Corbett at a news conference in State College.

He said they instead affect past and current students who were not part of the scandal.

“I cannot and will not let it happen without a fight,” said Corbett, adding that the Sandusky case was a criminal matter and not a violation of NCAA rules.

Corbett also called a university-funded review of the scandal led by former FBI Director Louis Freeh an incomplete report.

Freeh’s 267-page review was released in July and blamed former university president Graham Spanier, Paterno, suspended Athletic Director Tim Curley, and ex-Vice President Gary Schultz for allegedly taking part in a cover-up to avoid bad publicity.

The scandal led to Spanier’s ouster and shocked the nation after Freeh’s team concluded that the school’s top administrators had “empowered” Sandusky, the former defensive coordinator for the football team, to continue his abuse.

The NCAA said in a statement Wednesday it was disappointed by the governor’s action.

“Not only does this forthcoming lawsuit appear to be without merit, it is an affront to all of the victims in this tragedy — lives that were destroyed by the criminal actions of Jerry Sandusky,” said Donald M. Remy, NCAA executive vice president and general counsel. “While the innocence that was stolen can never be restored, Penn State has accepted the consequences for its role and the role of its employees and is moving forward. Today’s announcement by the governor is a setback to the university’s efforts.”

Penn State also issued a statement Wednesday saying it remained “committed to full compliance with the Consent Decree, the Athletics Integrity Agreement and, as appropriate, the implementation of the Freeh report recommendations.”

The fine is expected to be paid over five years and will fund an endowment with a mission of fighting child abuse and supporting victims.

Pennsylvania’s U.S. House delegation objects to the NCAA’s plans to spend only 25% of those funds within the state. The delegation wants the association to spend all of the $60 million in Pennsylvania, according to a November letter to the NCAA.

“While we fully support the stated purpose of the endowment, we believe its funds should be used solely for programs and organizations within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, where a need exists for the creation of prevention programs for abused children,” the letter stated.

Sandusky, 68, was convicted last June on 45 counts of child abuse, ranging from corruption of minors to involuntary deviate intercourse, which were laid out in graphic testimony by his accusers over the course of the less-than-two-week trial. In October, he was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison, meaning he’ll likely die behind bars.

SMH. The NCAA’s sanctions were most definitely harsh, but then again, so was the corruption that took place for years.

Do you think the Governor should take a seat and not dig this sh*t up again??

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