Michigan State's Mel Tucker disputes sexual harassment allegations

LANSING — Suspended Michigan State University football coach Mel Tucker called sexual harassment allegations by Brenda Tracy "completely false" in a statement released by his attorney Monday afternoon but acknowledged he had an "intimate, adult relationship" with her.

He also said the investigation by the university hasn't been fair or without bias and he believes the inquiry is being used as "an ulterior motive" to get MSU out of his 10-year, $95 million contract he signed in 2021.

Tracy's allegations, which she reported to the university in December, became public Sunday when USA Today reported that an investigation into Tucker's conduct was completed in July and that a Title IX hearing is scheduled for early October.

Tracy, a national sexual violence prevention advocate who has spoken to MSU's football team and was on campus another time as an honorary captain for a spring game, has said Tucker sexually harassed her, including making sexual comments and having unwanted phone sex with her in 2022. Tucker in his comments to investigators said the phone sex was consensual.

Tucker was suspended without pay Sunday by Athletic Director Alan Haller. MSU interim President Teresa Woodruff said neither she nor the Board of Trustees knew Tracy was the complainant until July and did not know the specifics of her allegations until they read USA Today's story Sunday. The university said the investigation into Tucker is active and ongoing.

Tucker, who did not comment for the USA Today story, said he decided to make a statement because it was the only opportunity for the "truth to come out" in what he described as the university's "flawed" system.

"Ms. Tracy’s attorney told us from the very beginning that I should not lose my job over her allegations, but that it would take a lot of money to make it go away." Tucker wrote. "Her twisting of our personal relationship months after it concluded is designed to revive her career and destroy my life, precipitated by her greed.

"I have been ripped from the Team that I love, without any meaningful opportunity to tell my side of the story other than this press release. I ask everyone to consider carefully the undisputed facts outlined and reserve judgment until the full truth comes out."

MSU hired an Ann Arbor Title IX attorney Rebecca Leitman Veidlinger to conduct the investigation into Tucker. Veidlinger, who finished her report and gave it to MSU in July, previously worked in Title IX offices for MSU and the University of Michigan, and has also investigated a case for the Lansing School District.

A separate outside Title IX attorney hired by the university will oversee a hearing in October and determine whether the evidence shows Tucker likely violated school rules. An official sanction or punishment could then follow that determination.

In a statement to USA Today, Tracy said, "Coach Tucker has been delaying and trying to stop the investigative process since the beginning. He can’t afford to go to a hearing that determines credibility of the participating parties. I believe this statement is his way of getting out of participating in the hearing.

"October 5th and 6th I will be present for the hearing and make myself available for cross examination by his attorney Jennifer Belveal. I invite him to do the same."

Here's is Tucker's statement in its entirety:

"Brenda Tracy’s allegations of harassment are completely false. The proceedings initiated by Ms. Tracy are devoid of any semblance of fairness for any matter of this importance, and the University’s “hearing” scheduled for October 5-6 is so flawed that there is no other opportunity for the truth to come out. That is why I share some truth with you now.

"I helped bring Ms. Tracy to campus in the summer of 2021 because I support her mission of sexual misconduct prevention. This single presentation was her only paid engagement with the University. We developed a mutual friendship that grew into an intimate, adult relationship; at this point, my wife and I had been estranged for a long time. Ms. Tracy and I engaged in dozens of calls throughout fall 2021 and winter 2022, many of which she initiated and which occurred late at night. We both talked about all sorts of intimate, private matters. She told me that I could trust her, and I proceeded to do just that. I was absolutely unaware of the previous negative commentsthat she had made about iconic MSU coaches, then-President (John) Engler, MSU in general, and evenher more recent criticism of Coach (Jim) Harbaugh, that I learned about during this investigation.

"The 1200 pages of investigation materials that Ms. Tracy released to the media contains a number of important facts that any fair-minded person would want to know in evaluating the situation. Even the investigator hired by the University found that we had a “personal relationship” and that we shared “deeply personal and private information with each other.

"Ms. Tracy encouraged our personal relationship by inviting and accepting gifts from me. During the investigation, Ms. Tracy admitted requesting and accepting my gift of expensive athletic shoes, a $200 Venmo payment, and a personal contribution to her non-profit. Not only did she accept those gifts, but she had to provide me her shoe size and address to receive the shoes, and her Venmo ID to receive the money.

"Yes, I did have a late-night intimate conversation with Ms. Tracy in April 2022. Again, as even Ms. Tracy’s statements to the investigator confirm, this conversation had nothing to do with the University and was outside of the scope of Title IX or any University policy. (By the way, while press reports have called this a “Title IX” investigation, that’s inaccurate. The University admitted there is no Title IX jurisdiction, so the investigation of my private life was relegated to an alleged policy violation.)

"While I am saddened by Ms. Tracy’s disclosure of the sensitive nature of this call, let me be perfectly clear—it was an entirely mutual, private event between two adults living at opposite ends of the country. She initiated the discussion that night, sent me a provocative picture of the two of us together, suggested what she may look like without clothes, and never once during the 36 minutes did she object in any manner, much less hang up the phone.

"Following the call, it was not until four months later—only after Ms. Tracy’s next paid presentation was postponed and only after I complained to her that she and her assistant were spreading rumors about my marriage—that she ever told anyone (including her therapist, best friend or attorney) that she was offended by the call. In fact, she gave me every indication that everything was fine. She sent me a “Happy Father’s Day” text (two months after the call) and repeatedly expressed a desire to return to MSU, telling my assistants that she had a close relationship with me.

"Also contrary to her allegations, I never cancelled any presentation. Given a personnel change and scheduling challenges as football season approached, we merely postponed it until January 2023. She chose to file her complaint instead of proceeding with the training.

"The investigation has not been fair or unbiased. I can only conclude that there is an ulterior motive designed to terminate my contract based on some other factor such as a desire to avoid any (sic) Nasser taint, or my race or gender. The sham “hearing” scheduled for October 5-6 is ridiculously flawed and not designed to arrive at the truth. For example, in this zoom hearing: (1) neither Ms. Tracy nor any of her witnesses will be required to testify under oath or penalty of perjury; (2) we cannot present or offer any substantive evidence of innocence; and (3) there is no opening statement, closing argument or any opportunity to explain our case. This “hearing” process was obviously designed for student infractions—not to address personal, private acts between adults in which disclosure of the intimate details impact one’s reputation and career. I have no intention of allowing Ms. Tracy’s character assassination to go unaddressed.

"Ms. Tracy’s attorney told us from the very beginning that I should not lose my job over her allegations, but that it would take a lot of money to make it go away. Her twisting of our personal relationship months after it concluded is designed to revive her career and destroy my life, precipitated by her greed. One of the most absurd allegations by Ms. Tracy is that if our relationship and associated facts went public, only she would be harmed, not me. As the world can see, quite the opposite is true.

"I have been ripped from the Team that I love, without any meaningful opportunity to tell my side of the story other than this press release. I am incredibly proud of the outstanding group of men on the Team and my heart aches to be sidelined. I ask everyone to consider carefully the undisputed facts outlined and reserve judgment until the full truth comes out."

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State's Mel Tucker disputes sexual harassment allegations