The Miss USA contestant who caused controversy when she dropped out of the competition is standing by accusations she made suggesting that Donald Trump and his fellow judges rigged the 2012 contest, insisting she will “continue to pursue the truth”.
The contestant, Sheena Monnin, resigned her title as Miss Pennsylvania and quit the Miss Universe Organization earlier this week after claiming that last Sunday’s competition had been fixed. Monnin alleges that her fellow contestant, Miss Florida Karina Brez, told her she had seen a predetermined list of the top five before the final 16 had even been officially selected.
Trump, who owns Miss USA, threatened legal action against Monnin, insisting she was simply a bitter contestant who failed to make the top 15. Brez has since played down her comments, insisting she was joking when she told Monnin of the top five list, but the former Miss Pennsylvania is refusing to bow down to pressure from Trump to retract her comments.
Appearing on the Today show on Friday, the former Miss USA contestant said, “I feel disappointed that he has made some of the statements about me and I feel prepared to continue to pursue the truth… I know what I heard, there’s no doubt in my mind that the contestant was serious when she laid out what she said she saw and I believe that to be true…”
Monnin is adamant she is not out to destroy Trump’s reputation or that of the Miss Universe Organization. She added, “My message is very simple: I would like the truth to be made known. I am not here to destroy anyone, I am not here to bad talk about anybody.”
