Stern Names NBA Gambling Czar

NBA Commissioner David Stern released a statement on Tuesday that he was appointing Lawrence B. Pedowitz to head up a unit that will according to the statement ”will lead a comprehensive review of the league’s rules, policies, and procedures relating to gambling and it’s officiating program.” The move comes after the guilty plea last week of former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, to charges of betting on games and giving inside information to associates. Over the past weekend, rumors started floating that Donaghy would implicate other NBA officials, although neither the NBA or Federal officials have confirmed that information. Pedowitz who is a partner of the law firm, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, and Katz is a former law clerk of United States Supreme Court Justice William Brennan Jr. He also is a former Chief of the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern district of New York.

Stern stressed in his statement that there is nothing as important to the NBA as the games integrity, and the bond they have formed with their fans. Stern also said that Pedwoitz is the perfect man to head the independent review. Pedowitz said he has received broad mandate fron the legue, and will do everything in his power to do a thorough investigation of any areas that could affect the integrity of the game. Pedowitz has been in the leagal proffesion for the last 35 years.