Feds may join suit against Lance Armstrong

In July 2004, file photo, Lance Armstrong, right, and teammate Floyd Landis take part in 17th stage of Tour de France / AP

Senior officials at the Justice Department have recommended that the federal government join a whistleblower lawsuit filed against disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong by former teammate Floyd Landis, CBS News has learned.

The False Claims Act lawsuit could result in Armstrong paying a substantial amount of money to the U.S. government. The deadline for the department to join the case is Thursday, though the department could seek an extension if necessary.

CBS News has learned Armstrong is in discussions with the Justice Department to return a part of the millions in taxpayer dollars received by his U.S. Postal Service team. However, the an attorney familar with the case told the AP, the two sides have very divergent views on the amount.

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Lance Armstrong

Armstrong has also indicated a willingness to testify against others involved in illegal doping, sources tell CBS News.

According to the attorney, who works outside the government, the lawsuit alleges that Armstrong defrauded the government based on his years of denying use of performance-enhancing drugs. The U.S. Postal Service was a longtime sponsor of Armstrong's racing career. Armstrong's U.S. Postal sponsorship prohibited illegal doping.

The attorney spoke on condition of anonymity because the source was not authorized to speak on the record about the matter.

After a decade of denial, Armstrong admitted in an interview with Oprah Winfrey taped Monday that he used performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France, CBS News has learned. The interview is to be broadcast Thursday on Winfrey's network.

Separately, the government of South Australia state said Tuesday it will seek damages or compensation from Lance Armstrong in light of his confession to Winfrey.

South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill said the state would seek the repayment of several million dollars in appearance fees paid to Armstrong for competing in the Tour Down Under cycle race in 2009, 2010 and 2011.

Weatherill said Armstrong's apparent admission changed the government's view on its entitlement to compensation.

He said Armstrong "has deceived the cycling community around the world" by repeatedly denying he used performance-enhancing drugs during a career in which he won the Tour de France seven times.

[Dave148109]

For the government to climb on the anti-Armstrong bandwagon after having its name on his shirt for seven years is like Captain Renault in the movie Casablanca: "I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on here!"

[aubfmet]

Say it isn't so Lance. Lance should be set adrift with a paltry million dollars and left to fend for himself. Keep the lawyers out of it.

[Woody8318]

So how exactly did Armstrong "defraud" the US Postal Service? By winning the Tour De France 5 straight years while using steroids? Now what if he had not used steroids and failed to win?

[squaredance]

The feds had better take action and take it immediately, filing every possible lawsuit imaginable against Armstrong for deceiving the public, and the world. There should be no mercy for Armstrong, since he showed none for the thousands of lives he willfully destroyed.

The public furor and outrage is such that any public official who does not take action, or impedes others from doing so, will likely be sued themselves or voted out of office, or both.

[virgofromjersey]

He coordinated this and had the most to gain/lose now he's going to turn states's-evidence?