Report: State of Pennsylvania planning lawsuit against NCAA over Penn State sanctions

According to Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated, the State of Pennsylvania is preparing a lawsuit against the NCAA that will challenge the sanctions imposed on Penn State University in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal that rocked Happy Valley last year.

Previously, the Inquirer's Jeremy Roebuck wrote that a fight was brewing over how the NCAA planned to use the funds collected from the fines levied against Penn State. Last week, State Sen. Jake Corman (R., Centre) introduced a bill to have all of the money used for abuse prevention within the Pennsylvania's borders - rather than the 25% that was originally agreed upon - and threatened to sue in order to block the association from using the money elsewhere until his proposal was heard.

Thamel cites sources that have said the state is not working with the university in preparing the lawsuit, and adds that "the lawsuit is not being filed at the request of Penn State."

An announcement "could come as early as Wednesday," according to Thamel's sources.

From Thamel:

"It is unclear if the suit will seek to overturn or reduce the NCAA's historic penalties against Penn State. The NCAA and Pennsylvania politicians have been wrangling over whether the $60 million Penn State owes in fines to the NCAA, which will go to child abuse prevention, should be spent locally or nationally. Penn State has already deposited $12 million of that fine into an escrow account.

It is also not known whether the lawsuit will be all-encompassing and challenge the NCAA's historic penalties against Penn State. In July, the NCAA announced penalties that included significant scholarship reductions, a four-year postseason ban and vacated wins under former coach Joe Paterno. Penn State officials said at the time they accepted such harsh penalties because they feared being dealt the so-called "death penalty," which would mean the shutdown of the program for one or multiple years.

If the suit challenges the NCAA penalties, it could be significant in its scope with an entity as powerful as the state of Pennsylvania going up against the NCAA."

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Previously, the Inquirer's  Jeremy Roebuck wrote that State Sen. Jake Corman (R., Centre) threatened to sue