Mel Tucker responds to Michigan State's termination decision, calls firing 'a miscarriage of justice'

Mel Tucker has responded to Michigan State’s written notice of intention to fire him for cause. He released a statement through his agent Tuesday calling out the “miscarriage of justice” and “other motives” that might have played a role in the decision.

Tucker provided a lengthy statement about the university’s plans, which were announced Monday. He reiterated his stance that the sexual harassment claims made by Brenda Tracy are “baseless.”

“I am disappointed but not surprised to learn that MSU intends to terminate my contract over Ms. Tracy’s improper public disclosure of the entire 1200-page investigation file regarding her baseless complaint against me,” the statement read, in part. “Let’s be clear. I don’t believe MSU plans to fire me because I admitted to an entirely consensual, private relationship with another adult who gave one presentation at MSU, at my behest, over two years ago. A cursory reading of the facts and timeline should cause any fair-minded person to conclude that other motives are at play.”

Here's Mel Tucker's full statement. (In two parts). pic.twitter.com/oTUtW7ICOh

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 19, 2023

Michigan State suspended Tucker without pay last week in light of the allegations against him. They surfaced in a USA TODAY report, which came to the attention of administrators who chose to suspend Tucker shortly thereafter. Tracy said she didn’t want to reveal her identity, but an “outside party” did so, which is why USA TODAY published its report.

Monday, MSU athletic director Alan Haller announced the university’s intention to terminate Tucker’s contract for cause — a decision that does not impact the civil rights case or next month’s hearing regarding the coach.

However, Mel Tucker alleged Michigan State “ignored its policies” during a “biased investigation” into Tracy’s allegations. He also maintained his stance that his relationship with Tracy was consensual.

“I can only conclude that MSU does not care about my rights, the truth, or its future liability for policing its employees’ private lives. Ms. Tracy manufactured false allegations against me. MSU ignored its own policies in pursuing a biased investigation into them. MSU was supposedly going to let that flawed process play out before deciding what to do, but has now reneged on even that. While this miscarriage of justice has devastated me and my family, I find solace in knowing that the investigator concluded we had a ‘personal relationship.’

“Ms. Tracy expressed consent to every facet of our relationship. I look forward to one day obtaining discovery against MSU, including the Trustees and the Athletic Department, to see what they really knew and said about this matter, as well as their motives in handling the entire investigative process. MSU now claims that after having already terminated my employment, it is committed to completing the ‘formal grievance process’ — a process that expressly calls for confidentiality (which MSU publicly acknowledged failing to provide) to determine if I violated any school policy. The public can decide if any of this rings true or fair.”