Police investigate spying allegations on New Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis - NFL News
On Monday, it was revealed that New Orleans Saints’ general manager, Mickey Loomis, used a listening device from 2002-04 to listen in on communications between the visitors coaches and players.
A report released by ESPN cited anonymous sources which confirmed the existence of such a system in front of Loomis’ seat at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Such a system, if present, would violate both National Football League (NFL) rules as well as State and Federal laws and on Tuesday colonel Mike Edmonson of the Louisiana State police confirmed that they have started joint investigations with the Federal
Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
“I thought that was an excellent opportunity to share resources to see if federal or state wiretapping laws were in fact broken.”
Adding further, he said.
“It's important for the public to know these are allegations at this point. We will thoroughly, expeditiously, but fairly look into whether any laws have been broken. If they have, we'll sit down with the district attorney in that area to determine how to
proceed."
The news will come as a shock to New Orleans with the franchise already reeling from the fallout and punishments handed down due to the bounty scandal.
Loomis received an eight-game suspension by the NFL for not stopping the bounty programme and now might face further punishments including jail time if the allegations are proved true.
The general manager, in an email to the media released immediately after the news, denied all allegations and said that no listening device was used by him.
Assistant coach, Joe Vitt, too, has called the allegations unfounded and told media during his first press conference as interim head coach:
"Anybody that ever wants to question Mickey's integrity on something like this. I mean, this is juvenile. This is so bad, what's been reported, and it's irresponsible. It really is. ... I just know it's not true.”
Loomis has been accused of having a system installed at his seat from which he monitored all electronic communications on the opposing benches.
This is another unwanted controversy in the current offseason for the franchise and it will further tarnish the already damaged reputation of the Saints.
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