Former Miss America Mallory Hagan called the Miss America Organization’s efforts to find new leadership “laughable” and insulting.
“The statement from the remaining Miss America Board of Directors is an insult to every Miss America and volunteer’s intelligence,” Hagan said in a statement to the Associated Press Thursday.
CEO Sam Haskell and another board member stepped down after leaked emails revealed personal insults about former pageant winners, including comments about Hagan’s personal appearance. (RELATED: Miss America Board Members In Hot Water Over ‘Inappropriate’ Emails About Past Winners)
Hagan, 29, won the 2013 pageant.
Miss America 2013 was Mallory Hagan, the fourth winner from New York. For the talent portion, she wore a latex rodeo outfit and performed a tap dance routine to James Brown’s “Get Up Offa That Thing.” (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
“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,” she added. “I will not stop until Miss America is led by the people who embody the morals and values that the organization holds dear.”
“Whether they knew about these emails or not only confirms their inability to effectively lead this multi-million dollar nonprofit,” she continued. “If they truly care about the forward movement of the MAO, they should all step aside. Period.”
On Wednesday night, the board asked former Miss America winners and state title holders to aid their search for new leadership. The ladies were to name four people who would be part of a search committee that also would consist of two other board members and another member chosen by the board. As soon as news of the offer got out, the offer was blasted by former winners.
