S-E-N-A-T-E Senate!

In case you're wondering why Congress can't get started on national health care, look into the Bush administration's use of intelligence to justify invading Iraq, investigate allegations of secret CIA prisons around the world, investigate fraud allegations in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, do something about the genocide taking place in Darfur or figure out if oil company CEOs and/or Raphael Palmiero lied to them:

Sen. Arlen Specter, ardent Eagles fan and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, yesterday (Monday) accused the NFL and its Philadelphia franchise of potentially violating antitrust laws in their treatment of Terrell Owens.

Speaking at a news conference in Harrisburg, Specter (R., Pa.) said he was investigating the matter and might refer it to the Senate panel's antitrust
subcommittee.

The senator said the league and the Eagles had effectively blacklisted the all-pro wide receiver by forbidding him from playing and by banning other teams from talking to him. He called such treatment "vindictive and inappropriate."

"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. "The NFL can have
whatever rules it wants on authorizing suspension or keeping you on the team for the balance of the year, but they can't violate the law."

Umm, shouldn't the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee be ramping up for the Alito confirmation hearings right about now?

Specter apparently thought so too, eventually, saying Tuesday that "I think it's more a matter for them than us because we've got ... a lot of matters which take precedence over this for our own time."

Yeah, like everything.