ABC News scandals: Producer Dax Tejera is latest in line of controversies to rock network recently

ABC News has racked up millions of loyal viewers who tune in every day to watch its bevvy of popular anchors deliver the news on leading shows like Good Morning America, 20/20, and Nightline.

It’s become a staple in many homes across America – but its gleaming image of on-screen wholesomeness has started to crack recently, with the network facing a host of controversies over the last 18 months.

From reports of illicit affairs between co-workers to accusations of sexual assault to fierce feuds between co-hosts, ABC has been rocked by a number of scandals during the last year-and-a-half.

Most recently, ABC producer Dax Tejera passed away after suffering from a heart attack while out to dinner with his wife, Veronica, just days before Christmas – but his death was shrouded in scandal as it was reported that the couple had left their two young daughters alone in a hotel room while they dined, which resulted in Veronica being arrested and charged with child endangerment.

From illicit affairs to accusations of sexual assault to feuds between co-hosts, ABC has been riddled with numerous scandals recently. TJ Holmes and Amy Robach are pictured

The shocking incident is the latest in a line of controversies to plague the network in recent months.

Back in November, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that GMA3 stars TJ Holmes and Amy Robach had become embroiled in a secret romance while they were both married to other people.

And months before that, a former Good Morning America producer accused a longtime executive at the network of forcibly touching and kissing her during a work trip that they had taken together in 2015.

It was also reported that the producer’s claims caused tension between George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts – after Roberts reportedly found out that Stephanopoulos knew about the alleged assault and became furious that he didn’t do anything about it.

As details of the Tejeras’ decision to leave their toddlers alone in a hotel room come to light, FEMAIL has revealed all the other controversies and behind-the-scenes drama that ABC News has been hit with in recent months.

ABC producer Dax Tejera passed away after suffering from a heart attack – but it has now come to light that he left his two young daughters alone in a hotel room

Tejera passed away at age 37 after suffering from a heart attack while out to dinner in New York City with his wife Veronica, 33, on December 23

But days after, it was revealed that he and his wife (seen) had left their two young daughters, aged five months and two years, in a hotel room alone so that they could enjoy a date night

Tejera passed away at age 37 after suffering from a heart attack while out to dinner in New York City with his wife Veronica, 33, on December 23.

Staff at the Yale Club in Manhattan (seen) where the family was staying called the police, after they discovered the children had been left unattended while the Tejeras enjoyed dinner

But his sudden passing was plagued with scandal. Days after news of his death rocked the TV industry, it was revealed that he and his wife had left their two young daughters, aged five months and two years, in a hotel room alone so that they could enjoy a romantic date night.

Staff at the Yale Club in Midtown Manhattan where the family was staying called the police at around 11pm, after they discovered the children had been left unattended for at least two hours while the Tejeras enjoyed dinner a block away.

Veronica was then arrested by the NYPD at around 12:20am on Christmas Eve, and charged with two counts of ‘acting in a manner injurious to a child.’ 

She was ultimately released from jail four hours later, and was given a desk ticket which will require her to appear in court at a future date, police said. 

Veronica was then arrested by the NYPD at around 12:20am on Christmas Eve, and charged with two counts of ‘acting in a manner injurious to a child.’ She is seen with Dax

She insisted that she and her husband ‘had two cameras trained’ on the children as they slept and that she ‘monitored them closely’ during the ‘time she was away from them’

Veronica, a senior producer at the Washington Post, insisted that she and her husband ‘had two cameras trained’ on the children as they slept and that she ‘monitored them closely’ during the ‘time she was away from them.’ 

The mother-of-two (seen with Dax) added that while her daughters ‘were unharmed,’ she now realizes ‘it was a poor decision’

‘My family and I are devastated by Dax’s sudden passing. He has left behind a heartbroken family, and two daughters he loved with all his heart,’ she said in a statement.

‘When Dax collapsed on December 23rd, I accompanied him in an ambulance to the hospital. 

‘I asked both a close friend and my parents to rush to my children’s hotel room to attend to them as I monitored them by camera. The hotel would not allow my friend in and instead called the NYPD.’

The mother-of-two added that while her daughters ‘were unharmed,’ she now realizes ‘it was a poor decision.’ 

‘Our family has suffered a terrible tragedy. I respectfully ask for privacy while my children and I mourn Dax’s death,’ she concluded.

Co-hosts TJ Holmes and Amy Robach became embroiled in a secret love affair while they were both married to other people

In November, DailyMail.com revealed that Holmes and Robach – who worked on Good Morning America’s lunchtime segment GMA3 together – had become embroiled in a secret affair

 Their relationship was said to have blossomed while Robach was still married to actor Andrew Shue (left) and while Holmes was married to lawyer Marilee Fiebig (right)

Back in November, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Holmes and Robach – who worked on Good Morning America’s lunchtime segment GMA3 together – had become embroiled in a secret affair while they were both married to other people.

A series of pictures obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com showed the couple enjoying flirty post-filming sessions at a New York City bar, spending alone time in each other’s apartments, and – two weeks before Thanksgiving – going on a weekend away in a secluded cottage in Upstate New York. 

It’s unclear when exactly their romance first started, but it was said to have blossomed while Robach was still married to actor Andrew Shue – whom she wed in February 2010 – and while Holmes was married to lawyer Marilee Fiebig, who he also tied the knot with in 2010. 

Both of the marriages reportedly ended in August 2022 after their spouses became aware of the affair.

Before their relationship came to light, the co-hosts often shared social media pictures and videos that showed their close bond – which seemed innocent at the time

Afterwards, both were suspended ‘indefinitely’ from the show and the network has yet to make a final decision on whether either or both will return 

Before their relationship came to light, the co-hosts often shared social media pictures and videos that showed them giggling together, partaking in flirty banter, and engaging in playful touches – all of which, seemed innocent at the time.

Afterwards, Holmes and Robach – who have both deleted their social media accounts – were suspended ‘indefinitely’ from the show following the revelation that their well-publicized friendship and on-screen chemistry had ‘crossed the line.’ 

The future of their employment at ABC is still up in the air, as the network has yet to make a final decision on whether either or both will return to their lunchtime show. 

They tried to keep their distance in the immediate aftermath of the story breaking, as sources questioned whether the relationship could survive the onslaught of attention. 

However, that didn’t last very long as they were recently photographed packing on the PDA in Miami, Florida, while ringing in the New Year. 

Former GMA producer Kirstyn Crawford accused longtime executive Michael Corn of sexual assault in an explosive lawsuit filed in August 2021

Back in August 2021, Good Morning America producer Kirstyn Crawford (seen), 31, accused longtime executive producer Michael Corn of sexual assault

An explosive lawsuit filed by Crawford alleged that Corn (seen) forcibly touched and kissed her while the pair were in Los Angeles to cover the Oscars in 2015

Back in August 2021, the network faced more controversy when former Good Morning America producer Kirstyn Crawford, 31, accused longtime executive producer Michael Corn of sexual assault.

An explosive lawsuit filed by Crawford alleged that Corn forcibly touched and kissed her while the pair were in Los Angeles to cover the Oscars in 2015. 

‘Corn grabbed Crawford’s hand and told her that he wanted to be able to help her with her career,’ the lawsuit stated. 

The pair had just left a company party, and when they got back to the hotel, Crawford said she helped Corn to his room, where he allegedly pulled her head onto his chest and patted her hair. 

She also claimed that he stumbled into her room drunk and laid down on her bed, leaving her ‘shaking’ and ‘terrified,’ according to the lawsuit. 

She said that the morning afterwards, ‘not only did Corn fail to acknowledge his inappropriate and inexcusable behavior, but he was also dismissive and rude to Crawford, which made her feel self-conscious and uncomfortable.’ 

After the incident, she avoided traveling with him on business and ‘lost work opportunities as a result,’ the complaint stated. 

The lawsuit also included a story from Jill McClain (seen), who worked with Corn on World News Tonight in 2010

Crawford also alleged that Corn withheld raises and promotions, as well as created a hostile work environment as retaliation for her ‘rebuffing’ his sexual advances. She was about 25 years old at the time of the alleged attack.

Crawford’s lawsuit alleged Corn had a pattern of verbally abusive tirades, which left her feeling like she ‘walked on eggshells, unsure of when Corn would explode.’ 

‘Corn would waffle between berating Crawford publicly and emailing her privately about personal and confidential matters to make her feel like she was some sort of confidante,’ the lawsuit said. 

The lawsuit also included a story from Jill McClain, who worked with Corn on World News Tonight in 2010. 

She claimed to have been assaulted under ‘eerily similar circumstances several years prior.’ 

During a red-eye flight from Los Angeles, McClain said Corn ‘slid his hand from [her] upper right thigh to her vagina, and began rubbing her vagina, over her jeans.’ 

New York State Supreme Court judge Barbara Jaffe ultimately dismissed the suit, ruling that the three-year statute of limitations on the alleged assault had passed. 

The judge also said that the behaviors described in Crawford’s suit did not prove Corn fostered a hostile work environment after the alleged incident. 

Corn ‘vehemently’ denied the allegations, calling them ‘demonstrably false’ in a statement to DailyMail.com, accompanied by screenshots of alleged emails sent from Crawford to him the day after he allegedly assaulted her, in which she tells him he’s the ‘best.’

McClain claimed that during a red-eye flight from Los Angeles, Corn ‘slid his hand from [her] upper right thigh to her vagina, and began rubbing her vagina, over her jeans’

‘I vehemently deny any allegations that I engaged in improper sexual contact with any woman,’ he said.

‘Kirstyn Crawford’s claims are demonstrably false – and I am providing contemporaneous emails to prove it. 

‘Hours after the supposed incident, Ms. Crawford offered to bring me coffee and breakfast to my hotel room and asked for my hotel room number because she didn’t know it – the very same room where she now claims this incident occurred.

‘The same day, she repeatedly offered for me to share a car her. And the same day she emailed me, after I helped counsel her through a work problem, “Why are you so great?” 

‘These are not the words and actions of a woman who had been assaulted hours before.’

Corn left ABC News in April 2021 as a result of an internal investigation into Crawford’s allegations. 

He now works as the head of programming at Chicago-based NewsNation, owned by Nexstar Media Group. 

As for Crawford, who said in June 2022 that she was going to appeal the judge’s ruling, she no longer works at ABC after opting not to renew her contract. 

The Sun reported that she did file an appeal days later, but it is unclear what the outcome was. 

The lawsuit reportedly caused tension between Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos

Days after the lawsuit against Corn was filed, it was reported that tensions formed between GMA  hosts George Stephanopoulos and Robin Roberts over Crawford’s claims

Sources told the Daily Beast that Roberts was furious that staff – including Stephanopoulos – knew about the incident years earlier and didn’t do anything about it

Days after Crawford filed her lawsuit against Corn, it was reported that tensions were brewing between Good Morning America hosts Stephanopoulos and Roberts over Crawford’s claims.

Sources told the Daily Beast that Roberts was furious that staff – including Stephanopoulos – knew about the incident years earlier and didn’t do anything about it until Crawford made a formal complaint.

‘If this happened to someone on my team, I would have burned the place down,’ she said on a call with other staff. 

But ABC News spokesperson Caragh Fisher insisted at the time that everything between the co-hosts was ‘fine.’

‘Robin and George are fine. She told him personally that she wasn’t referring to him and called the team the next day to reiterate that her comment was not about any one individual,’ she said.