Sunday, October 30, 2005

Beaver County Times Allegheny Times - Sports - Too many goals coming way too easy

Beaver County Times Allegheny Times - Sports - 10/30/2005 - New NHL: Too many goals coming way too easy Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy claimed the fix is in as far as awarding a slots license for the area.

This relates to sports since the Pittsburgh Penguins plan to apply, with the idea of using slots profits to build a new arena. Pressed for details, Murphy offered none. His Honor seemed to be shocked politics operates this way.

Wasn't he the one who got the 'stealth bill' through the Pennsylvania legislature when he was seeking funding for stadiums? Murphy helped hide that provision in routine legislation, knowing most representatives wouldn't notice.

He may have gotten away with it if he hadn't gloated afterwards. Then-governor Tom Ridge had to veto the legislation.

Murphy's narrow re-election in 2001 may have been helped by a last-minute deal with the firefighters union. In exchange for union support, it's alleged Murphy promised help in getting the firemen's no-layoffs contract approved by a state arbitration panel.

And wasn't the 'fix' in when new venues for the Pirates and Steelers were publicly financed after a referendum had been soundly defeated?

I love to see ink from the sports pages devoted to politics. Wonderful.

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