In mid-February, Front Office Sports reported that ESPN executive editor Cristina Daglas had been on administrative leave in January. An attorney representing Daglas recently sent a cease-and-desist letter to ESPN’s HR department regarding the ongoing investigation, which was accidentally shared with Front Office Sports.
FOS reporter Ryan Glasspiegel reported that California employment lawyer Nikki Staggs accused ESPN of “unlawful harassment, retaliation, and investigation” of Daglas in the letter. ESPN HR had reached out to the editor at least seven times during the investigation, which Staggs described as “wholly meritless and unsubstantiated,” calling the situation “harassment, plain and simple.” The specifics behind the complaints against Daglas remain unclear.
The letter states, “Respondents have failed to provide a clear articulation of the allegations or claims that allegedly justify this leave… what my client has been subjected to is a series of protracted, hours-long interrogations under the guise of an ‘investigation’ that appears to be both endless and aimless. The excessive nature of these meetings strongly suggests that Respondents are not conducting a legitimate inquiry, but rather grasping at straws in an attempt to manufacture misconduct where none exists. We remain steadfast in resolving this matter as expeditiously as possible. However, we expect that at this juncture, Respondents have already reached a decision after nearly two months of investigation and multiple discussions over the course of multiple hours with Claimant.”
Per Glasspiegel, the letter requests that ESPN cease “any further harassment of [Daglas] under the guise of an ‘ongoing investigation’; any continued attempts to damage or smear her reputation internally or externally; any disclosure, leak, or dissemination—direct or indirect—of confidential materials, images, or information pertaining to [Daglas]; and any form of retaliation against [Daglas] for asserting her rights, speaking out, or protecting herself in the workplace.” An ESPN spokesperson declined to comment on the cease-and-desist letter to FOS.
According to Fox Corporation-owned Outkick.com’s Bobby Burack, senior editor Elizabeth Baugh has also been placed on administrative leave as part of the investigation, with sources suggesting that her friendship with Daglas was seen as an impediment to the investigation into Daglas’ conduct.
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