Gov. Tom Corbett Sues NCAA Over Penn State Child Sex Abuse Sanctions

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett (R) is suing the NCAA for what he described as harsh sanctions against Penn State following the school’s child rape scandal. The NCAA fined the university $60 million dollars after a report found top officials ignored sex abuse accusations against former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.

Last summer, Sandusky was convicted of sexually abusing 10 boys for years. Investigators say that in some cases the abuse happened at Penn State athletic facilities. Sandusky was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison.

The NCAA banned the football team from bowl games for the next four years

and took away its wins from 1998 to 2011. Penn State has already paid $12 million of the fine.

Gov. Corbett said, “The only logical conclusion is that the NCAA did it because they benefited from the penalties and because the leadership of the NCAA believed that it could.” He went on to say, “These sanctions are an attack on the past, present and future students of Penn State.”

The NCAA replied in a statement, “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. 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.”