What authority does Arlene Sphincter have...

[Patsfanin Philly]

From footballguys, transcript of Senator Specter on Rush Limbaugh's show......


RUSH: Lot of football fans in this audience. Since the Super Bowl we've heard very little about this guy in Hawaii, Matt Walsh, that claims to have videotape of the New England Patriots and the St. Louis Rams walk through the Saturday before their Super Bowl. What's the status of that?

SEN. SPECTER: Well, the status of it is that there has been an exchange of correspondence between Walsh's lawyers and the NFL lawyers. I've seen the letters. Walsh's lawyer let me see them on a promise of confidentiality, and I believe an objective and fair reading of those letters is that the NFL is discouraging Walsh from coming forward.

RUSH: Really? Because their statements are just exact opposite.

SEN. SPECTER: Well, the NFL says they're trying to encourage them, and I issued the challenge to the commissioner a couple of Saturdays ago, and they put out a Sunday release that they were making substantial progress. Well, we've had almost two weeks since that Sunday release, and nothing has happened. I believe those... Listen, I think the NFL has a duty of integrity. They have an anti-trust exemption, which gives them a preferred position. They are role models. If you can cheat in the NFL, you can cheat in college or high school or sixth grade math test. I think ultimately, Rush, if we get enough fire under it, they're going to have to show those letters -- and when they do, they're going to have to change their tune and let Walsh testify, because those reports are looking pretty strong, but there was filming for the 2002 Super Bowl.

-------------------------
So should I wait here for an apology if and when they say on Tues that there was no taping????? I'm not holding my breath...

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Arlen Specter is Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and sits on the Subcommittee for "Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights."

While Other Posters rightly point out that the Democratic majority technically controls Senate committees, the Senate is essentially a club and remains a bastion of external politeness where "courtesies" are routinely accorded to members of the minority party that they would never receive in the more contentious and less decorous House of Representatives. The majority extends courtesies to the minority because they understand that they are potentially one Election Cycle away from returning to the minority themselves.

Specter can, then, technically not force Hearings on Spygate. However, if he goes to the Chair and raises a "point of personal privilege," a Senator of Specter's seniority will usually get what he wants. In this case, he doesn't even have to hold the hearings in the Judiciary Committee itself, but can do so in the Antitrust Subcommitte. The Democratic members of this Subcommittee, who would have to agree to such Hearings, include its Chairman, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Benjamin Cardin of Maryland and Chuck Schumer of New York. With Senators from Packer, Ravens, Jets and Giants country, a vote to hold such hearings would not be a tough sell "back home."

So, to answer the question. He has a lot of authority to hold hearings on the fairness of the competitive environment in an institution (the NFL) that benefits from an Antitrust exemption.

 

[flasox27]

I guess we are going to have to disagree then. The overall political climate is that the Republicans will not control the Senate in Spector's lifetime. I don't recall Spector when he was the chairman showing any courtesies to Leahy or any other Democrat. Nor do I think democrat Kohl is willing to use his subcommittee as a platform for a withchhunt as a favor to republican Spector that isn't approved by either Leahy or Kennedy.
The realities remain that the Kohl is not going to upset Leahy as a favor to Spector period and I don't think Leahy is going to allow a witchhunt in his committee.

 

[Pujo]

Arlen Specter is Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and sits on the Subcommittee for "Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights."

While Other Posters rightly point out that the Democratic majority technically controls Senate committees, the Senate is essentially a club and remains a bastion of external politeness where "courtesies" are routinely accorded to members of the minority party that they would never receive in the more contentious and less decorous House of Representatives. The majority extends courtesies to the minority because they understand that they are potentially one Election Cycle away from returning to the minority themselves.

That's very true. The Senate allows any member to place a hold on any executive or judicial nomination, and they can even do so anonymously. The filibuster is another such mechanism that exists in the Senate and not the house.

I guess we are going to have to disagree then. The overall political climate is that the Republicans will not control the Senate in Spector's lifetime. I don't recall Spector when he was the chairman showing any courtesies to Leahy or any other Democrat. Nor do I think democrat Kohl is willing to use his subcommittee as a platform for a withchhunt as a favor to republican Spector that isn't approved by either Leahy or Kennedy.
The realities remain that the Kohl is not going to upset Leahy as a favor to Spector period and I don't think Leahy is going to allow a witchhunt in his committee.

At this point it would be stupid to say, "Yes he'll be able to do this" or "No he won't be able to do that" because we can't know how the politics will play out. Maybe Leahy or Kohl need Specter's support on an unrelated piece of legislation (they always like to seem bipartisan so getting the minority party onboard helps) and are willing to let him hold hearings. It would be naive to think that the process will play out as it would in civics class. The NFL's best defense is to play along, pretend they're giving him what they want, and go about their business. Time is the NFL's friend, there's getting to be a shortage of outrage.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Again with Arlen Spaztor, I know there was taping for the 2002 super bowl, i think steve sabol taped it, and so did fox.. The more you think , someone just wants the pats and belichick to go away...

 

[Jimke]

Specter, with the permission of the committee chairman, probably

has the authority to convene a hearing to investigate cheating in the NFL

by the NE Patriots. Then, based upon the evidence submitted, the

committee could ask the FBI to investigate the same. I can't

imagine the rational members would approve such nonsense but

if Congress can't do anything about the price of gas, the Iraq War, the

economy, or global warning, why not prove you can screw up the

most successful team in the NFL?

 

[Evil Tom]

Re: What authority does Arlene Sphincter have.....

specter will have the authority if the republicans win the senate in 10' but hopefully he'll lose his seat. Right now, Pat Leahy is in charge of the senate judiciary committee. he's another useless senator but he's from new england so maybe we have a leg up.

Don't bet on it. Specter is bought and paid for by Comcast, Leahy is owned by Time Warner. This issue is just a small part of the cable companies battle with the NFL over the Sunday Ticket package and the NFL Network.

 

[OhExaulted1]

The only thing keeping Sphincter alive are his crap-hole muscles and his hatred of the Patriots.

 

[Tbrady12to88]

Arlen Specter is Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and sits on the Subcommittee for "Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights."

While Other Posters rightly point out that the Democratic majority technically controls Senate committees, the Senate is essentially a club and remains a bastion of external politeness where "courtesies" are routinely accorded to members of the minority party that they would never receive in the more contentious and less decorous House of Representatives. The majority extends courtesies to the minority because they understand that they are potentially one Election Cycle away from returning to the minority themselves.

Specter can, then, technically not force Hearings on Spygate. However, if he goes to the Chair and raises a "point of personal privilege," a Senator of Specter's seniority will usually get what he wants. In this case, he doesn't even have to hold the hearings in the Judiciary Committee itself, but can do so in the Antitrust Subcommitte. The Democratic members of this Subcommittee, who would have to agree to such Hearings, include its Chairman, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Benjamin Cardin of Maryland and Chuck Schumer of New York. With Senators from Packer, Ravens, Jets and Giants country, a vote to hold such hearings would not be a tough sell "back home."

So, to answer the question. He has a lot of authority to hold hearings on the fairness of the competitive environment in an institution (the NFL) that benefits from an Antitrust exemption.

Very nice. Thank you.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

Re: What authority does Arlene Sphincter have.....

specter will be the chairman of the senate judiciary committee. he could call for investigations.

Good for him. How can he call for investigations? I don't care if he was the president of the United States, he still can't interfere with the NFL. Why? Because no laws are being broken, therefore he has no authority. Nobody has to listen to him. However, it would be a different story if the Pats were actually doing something "illegal" like selling drugs or doing steriods. Last time I checked, videotaping another team is not against the law.

All Senator Spector is doing is abusing his power.