Success With Hyperlinking Is Making It A Federal Case

Your Penn State news roundup as we head into the weekend.

I'm From The Government, And I'm Here To Help. The big headline this morning was the burgeoning federal investigation into Jerry Sandusky, Penn State, and The Second Mile.

A Penn State spokeswoman confirmed Thursday that the university received a subpoena Feb. 2 from Peter J. Smith, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, requesting information about the university, former President Graham Spanier, and Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, top Penn State officials who are charged with perjury and failure to report a crime...Information also was requested about Sandusky and The Second Mile, Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers said.

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A second source with knowledge of the investigation said The Second Mile — the children's charity through which a state grand jury alleges Sandusky met and pursued almost all of the 10 boys hes charged with sexually abusing — also received a request from the U.S. attorney for information days after Sandusky was arrested in early November. That request was related to Sandusky's travel records, the source said. Much of the same information had already been requested by the state attorney generals office, the source said.

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Gov. Tom Corbett, in interviews last week with State College television stations WJAC and WTAJ, said the state attorney general was not investigating the State College-based charity. Corbett was attorney general when the investigation of Sandusky was launched in 2009.

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The subpoena from the U.S. attorney's office marks more than a half-dozen Sandusky-related investigations.

In addition to the state grand jury, which continues to meet in Harrisburg, former FBI Director Louis Freeh is leading an internal investigation on behalf of Penn State. Former Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham has been hired by The Second Mile to conduct an internal investigation. The NCAA has given Penn State several questions to answer about compliance issues. The U.S. Department of Education is investigating possible violations of the Clery Act, which requires universities to report crimes.

In addition, informal investigations are being conducted by several attorneys representing victims, organizations and others who might bring lawsuits.

To which I say bring it, and not in a defiant way. As Adam Shell pointed out to me on Twitter, with respect to Sandusky himself, this likely involves potential Mann Act violations for transporting potential victims across state lines to Penn State bowl games.

Speaking for myself, again, I have little faith in the Freeh investigation or any other "internal investigation" which will be pre-screened by the Board of Trustees prior to publication. Nobody trusts Corbett to do anything competent or honorable with respect to this investigation. After all, he was the guy who saw the Sandusky investigation as such a high priority that he assigned one entire State Trooper to the case. Not to mention how tied up Corbett was with executives at Second Mile, who donated boatloads of money to his campaign for Governor. Yes, it's utterly shocking(!) that the charity hasn't been investigated more vigorously.

So, the Feds want to get involved. Great. At least they won't be afraid to take down the most powerful people in this case, unlike the shell game we're enduring from the current investigations.

In Which I Will Cut Ben Jones. Write "Billy Ball" again, and we're fighting. Regardless, Matt McGloin says he's excited about the new offense. Ben also looks at the overall quarterback situation, current and future.

Good News, Everybody! The scandal isn't having a huge effect on future Penn State recruits, specifically a pair of highly-touted players from New Jersey:

“I wanted to see the new coach and how everyone responded, and they got up and they’re moving forward. They’re not looking back,” said [defensive end Garrett] Sickels, who has plans to visit Notre Dame and Ohio State in April and hopes to make a decision near the start of the high school season. “It (the scandal) didn’t change my mind on anything. I knew that wasn’t truly what Penn State was.”

OH, HAHAHAHAHA I GET IT HERE'S YOUR LAWSUIT, JERKS. Plant Delights of Raleigh, North Carolina apparently has a tradition of off-beat covers for its quarterly catalog, and they recently decided to go with a Wizard of Oz theme. WITH A TWIST. They cast Joe Paterno as the scarecrow, holding a newspaper "Classifieds" section. Further, they cast Jerry Sandusky as the Cowardly Lion, chasing three children down the Yellow Brick Road. Oh, and for good measure, Plant Delights slapped a PSU "chipmunk" logo on the Lion. This has caught the attention of PSU lawyers for potential copyright infringement. Fanshot which I didn't read, here.

Go Fish. Our new QB coach talks to the ESPN Big Ten Blog.

Obligatory State Patty's Day Brow Furrowing. Could you guys and girls, you know, not break too much stuff? And stay out of the emergency room? Thanks.

Also Receiving Votes. Penn State is making electricity with bugs. You're welcome, world. The Sandusky scandal has led to current legislation in Florida and Illinois.