ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – The Latest on the Miss America email scandal (all times local):
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7:50 p.m.
The outgoing chairwoman of the Miss America Organization says she was “unjustly vilified” following an email scandal that targeted former Miss Americas.
Lynn Weidner tells The Associated Press she’s confident the full truth eventually will emerge.
She was one of three top pageant officials to resign Saturday, along with CEO Sam Haskell and President Josh Randle.
Emails written by pageant officials that were leaked to the Huffington Post criticized past Miss Americas’ appearance, intellect and sex lives.
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5:10 p.m.
A former Miss America whose weight was ridiculed by pageant officials in emails wants anyone who was warned away from her to come forward.
Mallory Hagan made the request on Facebook early Saturday hours before the top leadership of the New Jersey-based Miss America Organization resigned.
Her request might be a precursor to legal action against the organization or its former officers regarding her post-Miss America work as a pageant interview coach. She’s seeking anyone who was told not to work with her, communicate with her or hire her.
Hagan hasn’t responded to a message seeking comment on the resignations of Miss America’s CEO, president and chairman.
The organization’s outgoing president has apologized to Hagan, whose weight he and others ridiculed in an email exchange.
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3:55 p.m.
The outgoing president of the Miss America Organization is apologizing to a former Miss America whose weight he ridiculed in an email exchange with other pageant officials.
Josh Randle tells The Associated Press his inappropriate response to an email about the appearance of 2013 Miss America Mallory Hagan came several months before he worked at the Miss America Organization, based in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
But he nonetheless apologized to her on Saturday, saying the comment does not reflect his values or those of the organization.
Randle was one of three top Miss America officials to resign Saturday, along with CEO Sam Haskell and Chairman Lynn Weidner.
Hagan was among dozens of former Miss Americas who signed a petition calling on the group’s leadership to step down.
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3:35 p.m.
One of the main recipients of fundraising from the Miss America Organization says it’s reviewing its association with Miss America amid the New Jersey pageant’s scandal over emails targeting past winners for abuse.
The Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals said Saturday it’s “conducting an immediate review of the situation and will take appropriate actions.” It says it’s “appalled by the behavior reported in the media” and demands “investigation, action and change.”
The top leadership of the Miss America Organization has resigned, sweeping out officials implicated in the email scandal. CEO Sam Haskell, President Josh Randle and Chairman Lynn Weidner resigned Saturday.
Several of the emails targeted 2013 winner Mallory Hagan, claiming she had gained weight and speculating about her sex partners.
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3 p.m.
The top leadership of the Miss America Organization has resigned, sweeping out officials implicated in an email scandal that targeted past pageant winners for abuse based on their appearance, intellect and sex lives.
CEO Sam Haskell resigned from the Atlantic City, New Jersey-based organization on Saturday, a day after he was suspended by the board. Also on Saturday, President Josh Randle and Chairman Lynn Weidner resigned.
The organization announced the resignations a day after dozens of former Miss America signed a petition calling on the group’s leadership to step down.
The emails were leaked to the Huffington Post, which first reported on them Thursday. Haskell said he made “a mistake of words.”
Haskell’s resignation is effective immediately, while Randle and Weidner will remain for a few weeks to help with a leadership transition.
