The Mitchell Report

So if you haven’t heard, the Mitchell report came out today. And if you don’t know what that is, it’s the report put together by Senator George Mitchell that uncovers the apparently vast network of illegal substance use – specifically, performance-enhancing drugs – that has been pervasive throughout Major League Baseball for the last decade. The release of this document reminds me of a question I had at the outset of this investigation: How did this become a Congressional issue? A senator heading up the investigation? Now, according to an article on espn.com: “In light of the report, two hearings on Capitol Hill were scheduled. The House Government Oversight Committee will invite Selig [the commissioner of baseball] , MLB Players Association executive director Don Fehr and Mitchell to appear at a hearing on Tuesday, and a subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee has called for hearings beginning Jan. 23.”Seriously, our Congress has nothing better to do than have a hearing about what we all already know to be true – professional athletes cheat?Tell me someone out there agrees. Or disagrees for that matter. How is this an issue for the United States Congress?