New Allegations In Bush Housing Scandal: Audio Recordings

The latest about the Reggie Bush housing and benefits scandal, via Yahoo Sports' Jason Cole and Charles Robinson:

A federal investigation into extortion claims by New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush and his family has revealed the existence of taped conversations that could confirm Bush took cash and gifts while he was playing football for the University of Southern California.

According to a copy of a subpoena obtained by Yahoo! Sports, at least one of the witnesses was asked to produce "any recordings in your possession of conversations between Lloyd Lake and Reggie Bush, Denise Griffin, or LaMar Griffin." Denise Griffin is Bush's mother.

LaMar Griffin is Bush's stepfather. If such taped conversations involving Bush become public, Bush and USC could face penalties from the NCAA and Pacific-10 Conference, which are conducting ongoing investigations into reports of extra benefits.

Yahoo! Sports has learned that LaMar Griffin spoke with federal investigators in the spring of 2006 and acknowledged the existence of the tapes. In an appearance before a grand jury on Jan. 12, 2007, Lake's mother – Barbara Gunner – testified that she had heard portions of tapes made by her son, in which LaMar Griffin states that Bush intended to repay New Era Sports financiers "their money," as well as for a car that was purchased for the former USC running back.

For the roving death squads of USC haters this would be great news if Bush were, y'know, still playing. But he's not. Judging by the this paragraph, the NCAA's run into a lot of dead ends.

The NCAA declined to comment on its investigation, except to ask that anyone with information regarding the allegations against Bush and his family speak with them.

I'll translate that for you: "we got nuthin'" Luckily for them, the San Diego District Attorney's office apparently does have something. And so we wait to let the legal system run its course and answer "what did Bush do?" so that the NCAA can tell us "what will they do to USC?".

To Yahoo!'s credit, they didn't time this latest release for the NFL draft, start of the 2006 season like other releases. This latest allegation was rumored to be released around the time of the Rose Bowl but it appears Yahoo came to its senses for once and didn't politically "time" its release. Bravo.

Update: Upon second thought, we're quite close to national signing day for recruits. Hmm... maybe this was timed (again).