NY lawmaker urges FBI to drop Clemens probe

[jason]

NY lawmaker urges FBI to drop Clemens probe, saying pitcher has suffered enough

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer Mar 5, 4:46 pm EST


WASHINGTON (AP)—A Democratic congressman asked the FBI on Wednesday to drop its investigation of Roger Clemens because the pitching great had suffered enough from the probe into steroid use.

Rep. Anthony Weiner, a candidate for New York mayor in 2009, said the FBI is too busy with more important crimes to spend time trying to determine if the ex-Yankees pitcher lied to Congress about taking performance enhancing substances.

“Roger Clemens has been shamed. I think the public record is replete with examples of how he did not likely tell the truth. What is the public benefit of continuing with an FBI investigation?” Weiner said.

Weiner also suggested his fellow lawmakers had gone far enough with inquiries into steroids use by professional athletes and should let professional sports league handle the matter.

“The real incentive to clean up this mess is not a governmental one,” said Weiner, a Mets fan whose district includes parts of Queens and Brooklyn.

The FBI took over the Clemens case after Congress asked the Justice Department to look into Clemens’ testimony at a Feb. 5 deposition and a Feb. 13 hearing. Weiner is not a member of the House Oversight and Government Committee, which heard from Clemens.

Clemens testified he never used steroids or human growth hormone; his former trainer testified he injected Clemens with such substances at least 16 times from 1998 to 2001.

If investigators conclude Clemens lied on critical details, he could face charges of perjury, making false statements or obstruction of justice.

In a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Weiner wrote: “Whether or not Roger Clemens may have committed perjury should not compete with real national security threats for the FBI’s time, attention and resources.”

There was no immediate comment from the Justice Department on Wednesday.



finally, somebody with some sense is stepping up and trying to stop all this....who really care about any of this anyways?????

[Adidas410s]

Wonder what he thinks about the charges on Bonds.

[Panther One]

If they drop the investigation on Clemens, then they need to drop the charges on Bonds and the investigation on Tejada.

[Macarthur]

Originally posted by jason


In a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Weiner wrote: “Whether or not Roger Clemens may have committed perjury should not compete with real national security threats for the FBI’s time, attention and resources.”

There was no immediate comment from the Justice Department on Wednesday.



finally, somebody with some sense is stepping up and trying to stop all this....who really care about any of this anyways????? [/B]

While I agree with you that congress has much better things they should be focusing on, you just can't ignore perjury. If you open that pandora's box, then all cases are open to some arbitrary measure of whether it's really that important to worry about. Know what I mean?

[District303aPastPlayer]

Originally posted by Panther One
If they drop the investigation on Clemens, then they need to drop the charges on Bonds and the investigation on Tejada.

x2

[LH Panther Mom]

Originally posted by Macarthur
While I agree with you that congress has much better things they should be focusing on, you just can't ignore perjury. If you open that pandora's box, then all cases are open to some arbitrary measure of whether it's really that important to worry about. Know what I mean?
I totally agree!

[JasperDog94]

Originally posted by Macarthur
While I agree with you that congress has much better things they should be focusing on, you just can't ignore perjury. If you open that pandora's box, then all cases are open to some arbitrary measure of whether it's really that important to worry about. Know what I mean? True.

[jason]

true - but congress shouldn't be poking and prodding into this to begin with - its a waste of time and taxpayer dollars....and there are probably a LOT more people who couldn't care less about this than actually do care....

[Panther One]

Originally posted by jason
true - but congress shouldn't be poking and prodding into this to begin with - its a waste of time and taxpayer dollars....and there are probably a LOT more people who couldn't care less about this than actually do care....
Congress can do whatever they want. Professional sports bring in billions of dollars each year. Many play in stadiums funded by the taxpayers. There's nothing wrong with congress stepping in to help clean things up. With the fans' money funding the million dollar salaries of the players, I have no problem with congress helping to ensure that we're not paying to see cheats and frauds. Congress' involvement in baseball was critical to bringing the players and owners together and establishing drug testing.

I don't, however, agree with them targeting specific players to go after. I can also understand the case against Bonds, since he likely comitted perjury in the BALCO investigations, but the FBI's investigations of Clemens and Tejada are the results of their witch hunts on specific players. I think the focus should be on cleaning up the game, not digging through the past. That, in my opinion, is the waste of time.

[buff4life]

If they hadn't been wasting their time on this topic, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to commit perjury. Neither would Barry Bonds or Martha Stewart for that matter.

The day before the Clemens testimony (which judging from the questioners detailed questions was spent reiviewing testimony and briefings from their staff), our government sold $30 billion worth of Treasury notes to cover our national deficit. Anyone who thinks they don't have something better to do isn't looking at the big picture.

Last time I looked, we have FBI, State police, local police, etc. all charged with the responsibility to catch criminals. Congress is part of the Legislative Branch of government.

[Txbroadcaster]

Originally posted by buff4life
If they hadn't been wasting their time on this topic, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to commit perjury. Neither would Barry Bonds or Martha Stewart for that matter.

The day before the Clemens testimony (which judging from the questioners detailed questions was spent reiviewing testimony and briefings from their staff), our government sold $30 billion worth of Treasury notes to cover our national deficit. Anyone who thinks they don't have something better to do isn't looking at the big picture.

Last time I looked, we have FBI, State police, local police, etc. all charged with the responsibility to catch criminals. Congress is part of the Legislative Branch of government.

I said this in another thread

Baseball has anti-trust exemption..this means IT IS Congress's responsibility to clean it up if baseball itself will not do it.

Because of this exemption Congress is allowed to and should police the game when those that run it fail to.

[bobcat1]

I'd like to know what in the heck the federal government is doing having hearings on this Bull Stuff? It is completely idiotic for them to spend the time and our friggin money investigating sports and the drug use by superstars. Heck they all use or don't use. Let the local police investigate that crap. Do something useful on Capitol Hill. :mad: