Michigan lawmakers send letter to Big Ten regarding due process for Michigan Football

Michigan lawmakers send letter to Big Ten regarding due process for Michigan Football

In a recent turn of events, 11 Michigan lawmakers have penned a letter to Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti, urging restraint and due process concerning allegations against Michigan football and head coach Jim Harbaugh. This move adds a new layer of complexity to an already contentious situation.

Political Twist to the Michigan Football Saga

According to The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach, 11 lawmakers from the state of Michigan have joined the fray by sending a pointed letter to Big Ten commissioner Petitti. In the letter, they emphasize the importance of restraint and the need to allow due process to run its course.

Here is the full letter:

Dear Mr. Petitti,

As members of the Michigan legislature, we write to you today to urge you to act prudently and refrain from taking any premature measures against one of our state universities, including their athletic program, football team or coaching staff. These individuals are our constituents, and we feel the need to ensure they are treated fairly.

In the legislature, we pass laws to ensure every citizen and organization in Michigan is guaranteed their rights to due process under the law. These principles of justice should also be followed by the Big Ten Conference. Allegations of misconduct against conference members from the State of Michigan should be taken seriously, but accusations, especially those made by interested parties, must be met with thoughtful and thorough investigations based on fairness for all of those involved.

We all know the passion surrounding college athletics, not only in our state, but around the country. With social media speculation and public rumors running wild, it is important that any investigation and determination is based on carefully considered facts. The University of Michigan and its football program, like all of our collegiate athletic programs, is entitled to an impartial and deliberate process that takes into account all evidence, allows for opportunities for the accused to refute allegations, and comes to conclusions based on the whole truth.

It is essential that the Big Ten Conference not take any disciplinary action against the University of Michigan until the final results of its own or, more appropriately, the NCAA investigation are officially announced. Should those results demonstrate misconduct, an appropriate punishment should be imposed. In the meantime, the players and coaches should be free to continue to participate in the game that they love without being punished with premature or unsubstantiated sanctions.

Should you, as the Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, rush to judgement or engage in any ill-considered actions, we will vigorously support our public universities in their efforts to compel fairness and due process.

Why it Matters

The lawmakers make it clear that the University of Michigan and its football program, like all collegiate athletic programs, deserve an impartial and deliberate process based on the full truth. They urge the Big Ten Conference not to take any disciplinary action until the final results of the NCAA investigation are officially announced.

TL;DR (too long didn't read)

Bottom Line: The Big Ten Has Been Put On Notice

As you can see above, the letter concludes with a subtle warning, stating, “Should you, as the Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, rush to judgment or engage in any ill-considered actions, we will vigorously support our public universities in their efforts to compel fairness and due process.”

Michigan legislators have made it clear that they are not going to just stand back and watch the Big Ten not allow due process to play out with the Michigan Football team, or any universities in our great state.