Alex Rodriguez can look in the nearest toilet, home of the U.S. economy, and give thanks that Congress probably isn’t interested in hearing his steroid story.
If only Miguel Tejada and Roger Clemens could have been so lucky.
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“The American people need leaders who will focus on stemming job losses and getting credit to flow in the marketplace before hearing from yet another person who cheated both himself and the game of baseball,” Edolphus Towns (D-Brooklyn), the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said yesterday.
Towns called it “disturbing” that Rodriguez was among 104 players, according to Sports Illustrated, who tested positive for banned substances in 2003, and indicated Congress will continue to monitor baseball’s drug-testing program. Towns did not rule out additional hearings in the future.
Tejada is scheduled to appear in court today and is expected to plead guilty to perjury charges stemming from his appearance before Congress in 2005.
The charges reportedly arose from Tejada withholding information about a teammate with the Athletics who had used steroids and human growth hormone. Tejada could face a year in jail, but there were indications yesterday that the All-Star shortstop has reached a plea agreement.
Clemens, who was summoned to Capitol Hill last year as part of the fallout from the Mitchell Report, remains under investigation for perjury after testifying he never used steroids or HGH.
According to court papers, Tejada purchased a substance believed to be HGH from the Athletics player during spring training of 2003, giving him payments of $3,100 and $3,200.
The documents say Tejada then lied to investigators for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in 2005 when he told him he had no knowledge of the player using performance enhancing drugs.
Though the player isn’t identified, Oakland’s Adam Piatt is mentioned in the Mitchell Report as having provided Tejada with HGH and testosterone.
mpuma@nypost.com