Vice media says sorry, Pageant leaders quit

ATLANTICCITY: 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-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 Americas signed a petition calling on the group’s leadership to step down.

The emails were leaked to the Huffington Post on Thursday. Haskell said he made “a mistake of words.”

Elsewhere, Vice Media co-founders issued an apology on Saturday, saying the Millennialfocused media company had allowed a “boy’s club” atmosphere that included sexual harassment to flourish.

Vice Chief Executive Officer Shane Smith and co-founder Suroosh Alvi released a statement after the New York Times published a story outlining four settlements by the company involving allegations of sexual harassment or defamation against employees.

The newspaper also reported that more than two dozen women had experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct at the company. Smith and Alvi said three employees had been fired for “unacceptable behaviour.” They also laid out steps the company is taking to improve work atmosphere for women. AGENCIES