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Josh Weinfuss
Tempe, Ariz. – A former assistant from Michael Bidwill is sue the owner of the Arizona cardinals, claiming that “inhalable he harassed her” in an effort to leave the team.
Brittany Neuheisel, who was Bidwill’s assistant from 2019 until he resigned last week, is demanding high -constructive statements, unfair discrimination, discrimination and intentional infiction of emotional anguish. The 11 -page complaint was filed on Thursday at the Superior Court of Maricopa County.
According to the complaint, Bidwill was degrading Neuheisel and verbally abusing her “almost every day.” Neuheisel left the cardinals nine days ago and was crying after “Bidwill shouted for more than half an hour,” said his lawyer, Mike Caspino, ESPN.
Among the many accusations in the demand, Neuheisel says that Bidwill demanded that she reject her children and grandchildren and that he told Neuheisel that her relationships were “affecting their work performance.”
Neuheisel says that Bidwill asked him to make multiple false claims, including sending a firearm through Fedex to an acquaintance. Neuheisel says he told Bidwill the restrictions on the sending of firearms, but that Bidwill supposedly told Neuheisel “to proceed with the shipment.” Bidwill also supposedly asked Neuheisel to “provide false information” about federal and international forms that were related to his trip by private plane, according to demand. When Neuheisel opposed, Bidwill would allegedly tell Neuheisel, a Catholic in exercise: “Do it and then go to confession.”
The demand says that Bidwill wanted to replace Neuheisel, a 54 -year -old veteran, with someone who was “beautiful and athletic.” After the cardinals hired a woman who adjusted to those descriptions, the demand alleges that Neuheisel’s role decreased and that the new employees were taken by the new hiring.
The cardinals played Neuheisel’s claims.
“Earlier this week, the cardinals received an email from a lawyer from California headquarters,” said a team spokesman in a statement. “In him, he threatened to file a lawsuit unless the team agreed to demand a substantial amount of money at 5:00 pm the next day. The team refused and the lawyer has now filed the complaint.
“The cardinals were strongly surprised and denied the accusations made in this demand and intend to defend the case on their merits in the appropriate forum. As this is now pending litigation, the team will refrain from making more comments.”
Caspino responded to the statement of the cardinals, saying that his request was part of the process.
“We always participate in liquidation discussions prior to litigation,” Caspino told ESPN. “In fact, the judges expect us to do it. This is the practice of all the competent lawyers. In the case of Mrs. Neuheisel, our liquidation efforts were rejected by Bidwill and the cardinals.”
The lawsuit is looking for a jury trial with a damage objective, which were not specified.
ESPN investigated the culture of the workplace of the cardinals under the will of offer in 2023 after it was subject to scrutiny after the accusations made by Terry McDonough, the former vice president of personnel from players of the team, who presented an arbitration complaint that He accused the cardinals and misconduct of misconduct, including discrimination and discrimination and harassment, among other accusations.
In April, the cardinals were ordered by an NFL referee who paid McDonough $ 3 million for “false and defamatory” statements that the team made about the media.
Days later, McDonough’s wife and daughter filed a demand for defamation, negligence and intentional inflicence of emotional anguish against the cardinals, Bidwill and others connected to the team.
