Miss America Emails: Ex-Contestants Urge Board Resignations

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ — Mallory Hagan and other former Miss Americas are renewing their calls for the entire board of the Miss America Organization to resign following revelations that CEO and Executive Chairman Sam Haskell routinely maligned, fat-shamed and slut-shamed past winners in emails. Haskell regularly wrote and responded to unprofessional, offensive emails about the women, according to a trove of emails reviewed by The Huffington Post.

Chairman Lynn Weidner and board member Tammy Haddad reportedly aided Haskell's behavior. The CEO, president and board chairman all resigned on Saturday.

On Wednesday, the board said it wants former Miss Americas and state directors to help it find new leaders. It asked the groups to nominate four people to serve on the search committee that also will include two board members and a person the board members appoint.

Mallory Hagan told The Associated Press on Thursday that the offer by the remaining board members was an insult to anyone who ever competed or volunteered in the pageant. She and other former Miss Americas are renewing their call for the entire board to step down.

"The statement from the remaining Miss America Board of Directors is an insult to every Miss America and volunteer's intelligence," she said. "Implying that the complicit members of the current board will now choose the new leadership for the forward movement of the Miss America Organization is laughable.

"I will not stop until Miss America is led by the people who embody the morals and values that the organization holds dear," Hagan said. "Whether they knew about these emails or not only confirms their inability to effectively lead this multi-million dollar nonprofit. If they truly care about the forward movement of the MAO, they should all step aside. Period."

I hope that through all of this you will see...your voice matters. #StandUP for yourself and others. #BeFierce
— Mallory Hagan (@ItsMalloryHagan) December 28, 2017

That offer drew widespread opposition from former Miss Americas and state title winners as soon as word of it circulated.

The board was hoping for nominations for the search committee by Jan. 3, but it was not immediately clear what would happen if the former winners do not participate.

https://t.co/pGPKbnF5l2
— Mallory Hagan (@ItsMalloryHagan) December 28, 2017

By WAYNE PARRY, Associated Press

Photo credit: Isaac Brekken/Associated Press