N.J. lawmaker wants to dock Rutgers for payouts

A New Jersey lawmaker wants to dock Rutgers $2.1 million for the money it paid to a basketball coach who was fired and two university administrators who resigned during a scandal earlier this month.

Sen. Joe Pennacchio, a Republican from Montville, says it’s not fair to make taxpayers or students pick up the tab for what he calls brazen payouts.He says the money would come out of the $480 million in state aid to the university.

Basketball coach Mike Rice was fired after a video of him shoving and shouting and using gay slurs in practice became public. Athletic director Tim Pernetti resigned, as did the school’s top in-house lawyer, John Wolf.

Settlements with the three were worth about $2.1 million overall.