Sen. Specter can't think of any more important things...
Sen. Specter Defends Terrell Owens
[/align]The Associated Press
Tuesday, November 29, 2005; 12:14 PM
PHILADELPHIA -- Sen. Arlen Specter accused the National Football League and the Philadelphia Eagles of treating Terrell Owens unfairly and said he might refer the matter to the antitrust subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he chairs.
Specter said at a news conference Monday in Harrisburg it was "vindictive and inappropriate" for the league and the Eagles to forbid the all-pro wide receiver from playing and prevent other teams from talking to him.
"It's a restraint of trade for them to do that, and the thought crosses my mind, it might be a violation of antitrust laws," Specter said, though some other legal experts disagreed.
The Eagles suspended Owens on Nov. 5 for four games without pay for "conduct detrimental to the team, and deactivated him with pay on Sunday after the suspension ended.
Arbitrator Richard Bloch said last week the team's actions were supported by the labor agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association.
"The arbitrator's decision is consistent with our collective bargaining agreement, and it simply enforced the terms of the player's contract," Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesman, said Monday.
"To have an antitrust violation, you have to have a contract or conspiracy in restraint of trade," said Robert McCormick, a law professor at Michigan State University.
Matthew J. Mitten, director of the National Sports Law Institute at Marquette University, said, "We're in the labor arena, not antitrust."
Specter emphasized that he was "not a supporter of Terrell Owens."
"I am madder than hell at what he has done in ruining the Eagles' season," the Pennsylvania Republican said. "I think he's in flagrant breach of his contract and I believe the Eagles would be within their rights in not paying him another dime or perhaps even suing him for damages."
But Specter said, "I do not believe, personally, that it is appropriate to punish him (by forcing him to sit out the rest of the season). He's not committed a crime, he's committed a breach of contract. And what they're doing against him is vindictive."[/align]
RE: Sen. Specter can't think of any more important things...
Spector is our version of Ted "the swimmer" Kennedy,He is as liberial he just hasn't drowned anyone we know of.
For those of you that don't know him,he is a great Bill Clinton supporter.The gun ban comes to mind.
Some people can't give up the power ,in his seventys he needs to get a life outside of the gooberment.[:'(]
RE: Sen. Specter can't think of any more important things...
I beg to differ. Spector has been working on some serious legislation. Just last week he teamed up with Tom Harkin, the ranking Dem on his Judiciary Committee, and they attached an amendment to an unrelated bill renaming a couple of Washington office buildings after themselves. It sailed out of committee and passed a Senate vote.
But when it got to the House they caught it and noted that House rules prohibit any sitting congressman from having any public facility renamed after him.
RE: Sen. Specter can't think of any more important things...
Quote:
ORIGINAL: underdog
I beg to differ. Spector has been working on some serious legislation. Just last week he teamed up with Tom Harkin, the ranking Dem on his Judiciary Committee, and they attached an amendment to an unrelated bill renaming a couple of Washington office buildings after themselves. It sailed out of committee and passed a Senate vote.
But when it got to the House they caught it and noted that House rules prohibit any sitting congressman from having any public facility renamed after him.
Its really nice to see they think so highly of them selves,they certainly use their time wisely.
Spector never met a camara he didn't like.[]
Sen. Specter can't think of any more important things...
]
