While a member of the Chicago Cubs organization, the new GM Jared Porter of the New York Mets would have sent explicit unwanted photos to a reporter in the United States from another country.
This is the disturbing story tonight from Jeff Passan and Mina Kimes:
New York Mets general manager Jared Porter sent explicit photos, including a picture of a naked penis, to a foreign reporter in 2016, after she ignored dozens of other messages from him for weeks.
Details in the news with @minakimes on ESPN: https://t.co/gAOzQlTeAf
– Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 19, 2021
Then, the Cubs scouting director, Porter, reportedly sent more than 60 text messages to the reporter, without receiving a response, before sending the explicit images. Porter acknowledged the exchange of text messages with the woman, but said the explicit images were “kind of funny pictures”. The impact on the reporter’s career and well-being was significant. It is a very sad and disturbing story.
It is worth reading the whole story for the context and the events that have occurred over the years.
Mets President Sandy Alderson made a statement to ESPN: “I spoke directly with Jared Porter about the events that took place in 2016, of which we were informed this evening for the first time. Jared recognized me for his grave error of judgment, took responsibility for his conduct, expressed remorse, and has already apologized for his actions. Mets takes these issues seriously, expects professional and ethical behavior from all our employees and certainly does not tolerate the conduct described in its history. We will follow up as we review the facts regarding this serious problem. “
Concerned about possible retaliation, the reporter did not contact the Cubs, Porter’s employer at the time. The reporter’s lawyer put her in contact with a (now) former Cubs employee in her home country at the time of writing, although it is unclear at what level that employee was working, what that person tried to accomplish, etc. The report only mentions that the employee appeared to be trying to play the middle ground, but there may have been a dispute between the two over whether she should take legal action.
There will be much more news about this, because Porter’s conduct, as described, is indefensible. You don’t do the things alleged in the report if you’re just trying to have a normal conversation with a colleague or even a romantic interest. It crossed many lines, and that before we reached the very obvious and huge line crossed with the unwanted explicit images.
The Cubs front office – many of which are still overlapping in 2016 – will be pressured to discuss what they knew about Porter’s conduct at the time and, if any, what they did about it. Here is their statement to ESPN: “This story caught our eye tonight and we are not aware that this incident has been reported to the organization. If we had been notified, we would have acted quickly, as the alleged behavior violates our code of conduct. Although these two individuals are no longer with the organization, we take sexual harassment issues seriously and plan to investigate the matter. “
Porter, who had been a GM assistant with the Diamondbacks before being hired by the Mets at the beginning of the off-season, was also considered by outsiders to be a candidate for the open Cubs GM position.
The full ESPN report is here and I will need a minute to digest. I hate that this woman has experienced what she has experienced and the impact it has had on her life and career. Keep that part in mind as you read.