Spygate Sen Specter What About Bushgate

Does anyone find it ironic that U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.)sets on his ass when The Bush Administration spies on Americans, tortures in our name, refuses to produce documents and has destroyed paper and email trails?

Let a rumor of the New England Patriots spying on another team happen and good old boy Specter gets off his ass and thinks this is a great threat to America. It is not okay to have tapes being destroyed in sports. But it is fine if his Republicans do so.  Now if Specter and other Republicans took as much energy going after real criminals and dangers to our Constitution perhaps it would be okay to go after steroids and possible cheating in the NFL and other sporting events.  

•  Had the same sense of 'irony', but then

  the Spectre of Specter is making much a do to create a distraction. Specter is Smokin' again. Who has the mirror?

  by deMemedeMedia on Sun Feb 03, 2008 at 01:58:35 PM PDT

•  Maybe the "spygate" investigation is a trial run

  I agree, it is outrageous for the Senate to get involved with issues regarding sports, the NFL in this case.

  For folks who aren't aware of the details here is a the story posted at ESPN. You'll notice a poll there near the bottom of the page where over 73% thing that Congress should NOT be involved with this issue.

  Specter's official statement from his Senate website.

  In the stretch of 12 days, from Sept. 9 to Sept. 20, the Patriots were caught filming the Jets’ defensive signals in violation of N.F.L. rules, ordered to hand over all tapes of illegal filming to the league office, fined $750,000 and made to forfeit a first-round draft pick.

  Then the N.F.L. announced it had destroyed the evidence.

  In a telephone interview Thursday morning, Senator Arlen Specter, Republican of Pennsylvania and ranking member of the committee, said that Goodell would eventually be called before the committee to address two issues: the league’s antitrust exemption in relation to its television contract and the destruction of the tapes that revealed spying by the Patriots.

  "That requires an explanation," Specter said. "The N.F.L. has a very preferred status in our country with their antitrust exemption. The American people are entitled to be sure about the integrity of the game. It’s analogous to the C.I.A. destruction of tapes. Or any time you have records destroyed."

  Mr. Specter first wrote Mr. Goodell about the tapes on Nov. 15. After more than a month passed without a response, Mr. Specter wrote to him again.

  The league responded to Mr. Specter late Thursday afternoon. A spokesman said the letters did not reach the league office until late last week. The league added that it spoke to Mr. Specter’s office several times during November and December, but that the letters were never mentioned. Mr. Specter said the league had told his office last week it would not respond until after the Super Bowl.

  Joe Browne, the N.F.L.’s executive vice president for internal affairs, said, "The irony is that we have been in contact with the senator’s office several times in recent weeks." He added that "the issue of these letters was not discussed."

  Mr. Specter called Mr. Browne’s response "untrue."

  "It’s the same old story," Mr. Specter said. "What you did is never as important as the cover-up. This sequence raises more concerns and doubts."

  When Mr. Specter was asked if he could envision a situation in which employees of the Patriots or the N.F.L. were called to testify before the committee, he said he wanted to take the investigation "one step at a time."

  "It could," Mr. Specter said. "It’s premature to say whom we’re going to call or when. It starts with the commissioner. He had the tapes, and he made the decision as to what the punishment could be. He made the decision to destroy them."

  Hopefully he'll be this energetic in pursuit of the truth regarding the detroyed CIA torture tapes.

  by aj4runner on Sun Feb 03, 2008 at 02:00:54 PM PDT