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Michigan State

Mel Tucker issues statement in response to Michigan State intent to terminate letter

On3 imageby: Paul Konyndyk09/19/23PKonyndyk
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker
Junfu Han - USA TODAY Sports

East Lansing, Mich. – Soon-to-be-former Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker issued a response to the university’s letter of intent to terminate his contract for cause on Tuesday morning. Tucker was informed in writing by athletic director Alan Haller that his contract would be terminated for cause on Monday afternoon. In that termination notice, Tucker was given seven days to respond.

Tucker did so on Tuesday morning, expressing his disappointment in Michigan State for terminating his employment in the wake of a sexual harassment investigation as a result of a claim against Tucker by sexual assault activist and rape survivor Brenda Tracy.

Tracy claims that Tucker sexually harassed her during a late night phone call. Tucker claims that the phone call was consensual phone sex. He reiterated those claims in his statement issued on Tuesday morning.

Tucker blasted Tracy’s sexual harassment claim as baseless and described her disclosure of the 1,200 page investigation file to USA Today as improper.

He claims that Michigan State’s decision to terminate him on the basis of his own admissions that were included in the 1,200-page investigation is evidence of an ulterior motive given that the university had been aware of Tracy’s claims against him since Dec. 22, 2022. That is the date when Tracy initially filed a sexual harassment claim against Tucker.

Tucker claims that the decision to fire him prior to an Oct. 5 hearing that has been set to weigh the evidence against him was unfair. Tucker also insinuated that either Michigan State or Tracy was the source of leaks to media that led to public disclosure of the investigation against him. The university has hired the law firm Jones Day to investigate the leaks.

In his statement, Tucker claims that Michigan State was disingenuous when it suspended him without pay nine days ago. He insinuates that the university only suspended him to fire him, and that the decision to fire him was made without new information coming to light.

Tucker claims that he brought up concerns over potential leaks surrounding the sexual harassment claims against him months before the news broke of the investigation on Sept. 10.

In his response to Michigan State’s termination letter, Tucker claims that the university’s termination violates his rights, given that he received a notice after he requested a medical leave of absence for what he described as a “serious medical condition.” Tucker did not elaborate on the medican condition in his statement.

Tucker claims that Michigan State does not care about the truth or his rights. He also claims that the decision to fire him sets a dangerous precedent and threatens the rights of all university employees.

Haller met with Michigan State players and coaches to share the news that Tucker had been sent a termination notice after practice on Monday.

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