<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Pennsylvania senator Arlen Specter apparently has determined that his pursuit of "Spygate" is a lost cause. Specter, the Republican leader of the Judiciary Committee, will not seek Congressional hearings on the matter, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. The newspaper reported that Specter told its editorial board that "I've gone as far as I can." and decided against a hearing because the committee already has "too much to do." On May 14, Specter called for an independent investigation of the New England Patriots' illegal videotaping practices during a news conference and continued to criticize NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's handling of the case. Specter made that announcement one day after meeting with former Patriots video assistant Matt Walsh, who traveled to Capitol Hill after speaking with Goodell for 3 1/2 hours. Goodell claimed that the meeting did not reveal any new information regarding the Patriots and revealed that he will not levy any further penalties against the reigning AFC champions. But the following day, Specter did not seem as satisfied with Walsh's explanation. During a rambling discourse, he raised the possibility of revoking the NFL's antitrust exemption. According to the Philadelphia Daily News, Specter now plans to pursue another controversial issue - public funding of sports stadiums. Specter has said that he does not believe taxpayers should be responsible for the cost of constructing stadiums for NFL teams. The NFL fined Patriots coach Bill Belichick $500,000 and the New England organization $250,000 for the illegal taping of the New York Jets in the 2007 season opener. The Patriots also lost a first-round pick as a result of the "Spygate" incident. In February, Goodell said six tapes handed over by the Patriots - which subsequently were destroyed by the league shortly thereafter - were from the 2006 season and 2007 preseason. The NFL showed clips of the eight tapes given to the league by Walsh. They showed the Patriots recording coaches' signals in four regular-season games, as well as the 2002 AFC championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.</div> http://sportstwo.com/NFL/Story/NFL/2456747
