Rebecca Neal, Press Secretary for Sen. Pat Toomey, confirmed in an email that Sens. Bob Casey and Toomey are rescinding their Presidential Medal of Freedom nomination of former Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno.
In a press release, Casey and Toomey explained why they decided to rescind the nomination.
"In light of the recent events in State College, we are rescinding our support for the nomination of Joe Paterno for the Presidential Medal of Freedom. We hope the proper authorities will move forward with their investigation without delay. 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."
In a letter to President Obama the senators wrote in September, the Pennsylvania lawmakers declared 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."
Paterno was nominated for this medal in 2010 but did not receive the honor that year.
