Brenda Tracy responds to Mel Tucker's statement: "More of the same that I’ve been dealing with"
Brenda Tracy has dominated college football news since coming public with sexual misconduct allegations against Michigan State Spartans coach Mel Tucker.
After a bombshell report in USA Today during the weekend, Michigan State suspended Tucker without pay and will likely keep him away from the program until the hearing on Oct. 5-6.
Tucker responded to the report by refuting the misconduct allegations and claimed he had a consensual relationship with Tracy.
In light of his statement, Brenda Tracy took to her personal X account on Sept. 12 and responded to Mel Tucker's statement.
"My response to Coach Tucker's statement: 'This is just more of the same DARVO, deflection, victim blaming and lies that I've been dealing with now for months. 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,'" Tracy wrote.
Brenda Tracy has made it known she will be available for cross-examination. Whether Tucker does the same is unspecified, but we will know by the investigative process in three weeks.
Tracy also posted a statement claiming her name had been made public without her consent. Her legal counsel said the activist had to go public after an "outside party" allegedly revealed her identity to reporters.
Does Brenda Tracy doing this publicly put even more pressure on Mel Tucker?
There is definitely something to Brenda Tracy publicly challenging Mel Tucker to be cross-examined during the hearing compared to doing it privately. This obviously will put the public pressure on Tucker to do just that and answer some questions he may not want to disclose.
The Michigan State Spartans have already decided on a coaching staff in Mel Tucker's absence, opening the door for a contingency plan if he is released from his contract. He is believed to have around $77 million remaining on his current deal, and if he is fired with cause, that can all be voided.
However, there have been people vocal on both sides about what is going on, and this challenge issued by Brenda Tracy is just a pawn movement in the legal game of chess. Tucker has yet to comment on whether he will be available for cross-examination.