Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett announced this afternoon that the state is planning to sue the NCAA over the sanctions imposed on Penn State this summer for its failure to address Jerry Sandusky's rampant abuse of children. Reportedly, elected officials aren't happy with how the NCAA plans to distribute the fine imposed on Penn State as part of the sanctions.
The sanctions, agreed to by the university in July, included a $60 million fine that would be used nationally to finance child abuse prevention grants. State and federal lawmakers have raised objections to the money being spent outside Pennsylvania.
A message seeking comment on the expected lawsuit was left with the NCAA today.
Last month, a Pennsylvania congressman said he was unhappy with how the NCAA responded to a request from the state’s U.S. House delegation that the whole $60 million in Penn State fines be distributed to causes within the state.
NCAA president Mark Emmert had said in a Dec. 12 letter that a task force had been charged with allocating at least 25 percent of the fine money to programs in Pennsylvania.
Republican Rep. Charlie Dent said days later in a statement that Emmert’s response was “unacceptable and unsatisfactory.”
The NCAA said then that it stood by what Emmert said.
To its credit,
Penn State is in no way involved in this suit.
Am I the only one who thinks that Pennsylvania's congressmen--and presumably Corbett--are being petty? Especially considering there are at least three documented cases where Sandusky took kids across state lines--two mentioned in the criminal case, and one mentioned by Aaron Fisher (Victim 1) in his book.