Sources stated on Tuesday that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will announce a lawsuit against the NCAA this week over the governing body’s penalty against the Penn State athletic program. Reportedly, the lawsuit will target the fact that the penalty will send funds out of Pennsylvania.

Gov. Tom Corbett is expected to make the announcement at a press conference scheduled for tomorrow. Penn State claims they are not involved with the suit.

The NCAA imposed severe penalties on the school in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal, but not the “death penalty” of a total suspension of the football or athletics programs. Instead, the football program saw a four-year post-season ban, scholarship restrictions, and a fine of $60 million to be spent on child abuse prevention.

The NCAA planned to spend the fine money nationally, but some local politicians argued that it should stay in Pennsylvania. The NCAA agreed to keep 25% within the commonwealth, but that wasn’t enough for some. (The university is “state-related;” in 2006-2007, it received less than 10% of its budget from the state.)

However, Gov. Corbett and the lawsuit could also address the entire penalty. At least one Penn State trustee hopes so, according to PA’s Centre Daily:

University trustee Anthony Lubrano also said he didn’t have much information on the lawsuit.

“If true, I’m glad that the governor has finally come to agree with my point of view that the NCAA had no authority to intervene in this matter,” he said Tuesday. “I do wonder why it took him so long to come to that point of view.”

What do you think? Should Pennsylvania contest the penalty, or are they fighting against a good cause?

[via Sports Illustrated; photo via Mario Tama/Getty Images]

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