Pa. senators rescind Freedom medal nomination for Paterno

Posted: November 10, 2011

Pennsylvania U.S. Sens. Pat Toomey and Bob Casey today rescinded their support of former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno's nomination for the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In a joint statement, they said they were doing so "in light of the recent events in State College."

"We hope the proper authorities will move forward with their investigation without delay," they said. "Penn State is an important institution in our commonwealth. We should turn our attention to the victims of these atrocious crimes and ensure they get the help they need. Our hearts and prayers go out to them and their families."

The senators' decision was first reported by the Penn State student newspaper, The Collegian.

In a letter to President Obama in September, the senators cited Penn State's 16 Hall of Fame Scholar-Athletes, 47 Academic All-Americans and 18 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winners as "evidence of (Paterno's) dedication to helping his players excel in both athletic and academic endeavors," the Collegian said.

Paterno was nominated for this medal in 2010 but did not receive it.

|
|
|
|
|