When Non-Issues Become Dangerous

Here's one for the "Who Cares" files that just won't go away: Major League Baseball players may have done steroids. No shock there. Here is the more disturbing news: former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (a retired Georgia Democrat) is leading an "investigation" into the players medical records. And even if you hate baseball and couldn't care less about the 'roids "scandal" - this will trickle down to effect your life.

And please note, this post has nothing to do with whether or not it is "wrong" to use steriods... the MLB has banned them, so players shouldn't use them. If, however, players used them during the era when there was no prohibition against them - and while the MLB owners turned the other way and ignored what was going on - then the 'roid cases didn't break the rules... they may have bent them, but they didn't break them.

The medical records of Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro are being sought by investigators in baseball's steroids probe, The New York Times reported in Wednesday's editions.

The investigation, led by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, is seeking the files of dozens of other players, an unidentified baseball official with direct knowledge of the request told the Times.

A few years ago, Congress held hearings on the use of steroids in Major League Baseball. Now a former Senator is investigating - and medical records may open up to government agents. This can't be a good thing.

And perhaps the strongest union in the history of unionism, the MLB Players Union, is allowing this invasion of privacy to move forward.

Major League Baseball and the players' union reached an agreement earlier this week that players will decide whether to release their medical records, unidentified baseball sources told the Daily News reported.

Under the compromise, when Mitchell asks for a player's history, the team will give it to the player. After that, the player will decide whether he wants to cooperate.

Leave it to a former Senator and a bunch of billionaire team owners to take a complete non-issue and turn it into a violation of someone's privacy.

"They gave you your medical record, pal. Why won't you show it to us? What are you hiding? Hey, media sources, this guy won't release his records to us... he must be guilty of something."

Here's another thing that scared me:

Mitchell, picked by commissioner Bud Selig last year to lead the investigation, does not have subpoena power and has faced resistance in his effort to interview players and get medical records.

No subpoena power? No kidding. Why should he have subpoena power? What possible legal reason should he have to be given subpoena power? Is he a judge? A prosecuting attorney? No. He is a private citizen with a famous name hired to pry into medical records.

If this kind of medical privacy invasion can happen to a guy who inks a $40 million contract, it isn't much of a stretch saying it can happen to the guy in the factory or the office worker. Sure, it wouldn't be about steroids, but this abuse of justice opens another legal door to trample on people and their rights. All under the guise of keeping "America's game" clean.