Penguins to go public?

Throwing another wrench into the works of the Penguins and their immediate future, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that a candidate for Pittsburgh controller thinks the city should have the right to purchase the team.

The public should have the right to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins, former Allegheny County Commissioner Mike Dawida argued yesterday, in a letter to the state's U.S. senators and three congressmen.

Mr. Dawida, a lawyer and candidate for Pittsburgh controller in the May 15 Democratic primary, said the public's investments in Mellon Arena give it legal standing to challenge any attempt by the team to move. Public officials or fans could go to federal court to seek the right to turn the team into a public asset.

This is certainly an interesting take on the situation, though it's easy to conclude that Mr. Dawida is merely trying to make waves for his political campaign.