Episcopal Church pressed on firings

Some legal scholars and advocates are calling for more disclosure about the managerial misconduct that led to the firings of two senior Episcopal Church administrators after a four-month misconduct investigation.

Sam McDonald, chief deputy operating officer, and Alex Baumgarten, director of public engagement, “violated established workplace policies” and “failed to live up to the church’s standards of personal conduct in their relationships with employees,” Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said in a brief statement April 4. Through a spokesperson, he said the church would have no further comment on the matter.

By saying nothing about what types of violations occurred, the church heightens the risk that wrongful behavior will be repeated elsewhere as McDonald and Baumgarten move on, according to Colby Bruno, senior legal counsel for the Victim Rights Law Center, a national nonprofit that provides free legal services from its offices in Boston and Portland, Oregon. The silence also discourages other victims from coming forward.