Through his special counsel, Mr. Trump states he will not seek 'massive damage' from Sheena Monnin if she 'withdraws her utterly baseless claim' that Miss USA pageant is rigged.
- Jun 7, 2012
AceShowbiz - Donald Trump seemingly tries to play nice with former Miss Pennsylvania, Sheena Monnin, who publicly claimed that Miss USA pageant was rigged. Hours after stating that he will sue Miss Monnin, Mr. Trump decided to give a "second chance" for the 27-year-old lady only if she formally apologizes to the president of The Trump Organization.
Mr. Trump's executive VP and special counsel, Michael D. Cohen, told E! News, "Donald Trump believes in giving everyone a second chance, including Ms. Sheena Monnin." Cohen added that the business magnate is willing to not seek "massive damages" from Monnin if she withdraws her "baseless claim" in 24 hours after the statement was released on Wednesday, June 6.
"Accordingly, if Ms. Monnin in a writing received by Mr. Trump within the next 24 hours apologizes and withdraws her utterly baseless claim that the Miss USA pageant results were predetermined, then and only then will Mr. Trump and the Miss USA Organization not proceed with litigation against Ms. Monnin seeking massive damages for her defamatory and offensive remarks," so Cohen stated.
Earlier, Mr. Trump branded Monnin's claim "absolutely ridiculous" and called her action a case of sore loserism. He added, "She lost and if you look at her compared to the people who were in the top 15, you would understand why she's not in the top 15. It's a very, very sad situation."
Monnin herself resigned her position as Miss Pennsylvania USA 2012, accusing the organizers of fraud. "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," so she said upon her resignation.
She later wrote on Facebook, claiming that she "witnessed another contestant who said she saw the list of the Top 5 BEFORE THE SHOW EVER STARTED." She added, "She saw a folder lying open to a page that said 'FINAL SHOW Telecast, June 3, 2012' and she saw the places for Top 5 already filled in."
Responding to the claim, the Miss USA Organization issued a statement that explained Monnin's original reason for the withdrawal was its policy which allowed transgender women to compete. "In an email to state pageant organizers, she cited the Miss Universe Organization's policy regarding transgendered contestants, implemented two months ago, as the reason for her resignation," so it's stated.
