Illinois Congressman Calls for Oversight Hearing on MLB Cheating Scandal
By Brendan Balsamo
The longest week in the Houston Astros' history simply won't end.
After being hit with punishments for sign-stealing in 2017 on Monday, and being accused of using an electronic buzzer to steal signs in 2019 on Thursday, the Astros' misery is perpetual, it seems.
On Friday, Congressman Bobby Rush of Illinois called for a Congressional Oversight hearing on the cheating scandal itself, making sure this won't go away for quite a while, if he garners the type of support he's aiming for.
If you thought this was going away today, you were wrong. Now there’s a call from Congressman Bobby Rush of Illinois for a Congressional Oversight hearing on the MLB cheating scandal. pic.twitter.com/TJlreTHKYr
— Levi Weaver (@ThreeTwoEephus) January 17, 2020
After Thursday's allegations surfaced, Rush must have felt that enough was enough, and called for even further action to be taken towards the cheating Astros. In his letter to the chairpeople of the Committee on Energy and Commerce (the only committee with the authority of oversight over major league sports), he calls the cheating a "cancer" and "anathema," and says MLB is in the midst of "an ethical crisis."
We're getting to the real good stuff. Congressman Bobby Rush (D-Ill) is calling for a congressional oversight hearing to look into MLB's cheating scandal. pic.twitter.com/BQy3AB6MWQ
— Mark W. Sanchez (@MarkWSanchez) January 17, 2020
He not only wants just punishment for those who participated, but he wants MLB's investigation examined, and wants to see if there was a "systemic failure" on the part of Major League Baseball that allowed for the cheating to occur.
Representative Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) has requested a Congressional hearing regarding the Astros sign-stealing scandal.
— Kyle Glaser (@KyleAGlaser) January 17, 2020
His letter is below pic.twitter.com/p4TLPfCaIC
This entire situation is getting more and more serious by the day. With the government's involvement, everyone involved in the scandal and the entire Astros organization could be in some deep trouble, and we could see ramifications never before seen in sports.