There's been some major controversy surrounding Sunday's Miss USA competition. Rhode Island's Olivia Culpo went home the winner, but one of her fellow beauty queens wasn't satisfied with that outcome.
After Miss Pennsylvania, Sheena Monnin, gave up her state crown saying the show was rigged, pageant officials claimed that she actually gave up the crown because she didn't like the idea of competing against transgendered contestants. It was the first time Miss USA had allowed transgendered contestants to compete. The organization released an email they assert is from Monnin in which she complains about the decision to include transgendered individuals.
For her part, Monnin addressed her departure from the organization on her Facebook page, maintaining her allegations of cheating. "I have decided to resign my position as Miss Pennsylvania USA 2012. Effective immediately I have voluntarily, completely, and utterly removed myself from the Miss Universe Organization," she wrote. "In good conscience I can no longer be affiliated in any way with an organization I consider to be fraudulent, lacking in morals, inconsistent, and in many ways trashy. I do not support this system in any way.
"In my heart I believe in honesty, fair play, a fair opportunity, and high moral integrity, none of which in my opinion are part of this pageant system any longer," she added.
Monnin alleges that she saw a list of the top five finalists the morning of June 3, before the show even began. She reportedly resigned on Monday, according to CNN.
Pageant officials call her claims "false," and in an interview with "Good Morning America," Miss USA head honcho Donald Trump opened up about all the controversy, USA Today reports.
"It's loser's remorse. If you look at her ... you understand why she's not in the Top 15," he stated, further calling her allegations "totally ridiculous."
When asked about the rumor that she took issue with the transgendered contestants now being allowed to compete, he added, "I don't think she had an issue with that. I think her primary issue is she lost and she's angry about losing. In my opinion, I saw her for barely a second — she didn't deserve to be in the top 15."
As the controversy continues, one of the show's judges, Joe Jonas, has denied Monnin's claims that the pageant's outcome was predetermined. He tweeted, "All I can say ... is the Miss USA competition was NOT rigged. Miss (Rhode Island) USA won fair and square."
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