Miss America official: Flap cost funding
ATLANTIC CITY — Miss America chairwoman Gretchen Carlson said the reigning Miss America’s allegations that Carlson and others bullied her have led to a loss of $75,000 in scholarship money for this year’s contestants.
In a Twitter post late Sunday night, Carlson, a former Fox News host, wrote that she was “surprised and saddened beyond words” by Cara Mund’s letter.
In her letter addressed to former Miss Americas, Mund wrote that she has been bullied, manipulated and silenced by the pageant’s top leadership, headed by Carlson and CEO Regina Hopper. Both have denied bullying Mund.
“Actions have consequences,” Carlson wrote, addressing Mund. “Friday, as an organization, we learned that $75,000 in scholarships which would have been the first scholarship increase in years is no longer on the table as a direct result of the explosive allegations in your letter.”
“The impact won’t stop there,” Carlson continued. “We are already seeing a negative ripple effect across the entire organization, and I am so concerned that it will dilute the experience for the next woman selected to wear the crown.”
Carlson did not respond to an email seeking further comment Sunday night. Mund did not respond to messages seeking comment Sunday and early Monday.
This year’s competition will not include swimsuits, and pageant officials from at least 19 states have called for the leaders to resign. Carlson and Hopper were swept into power in January after previous officials were revealed to have circulated emails denigrating the appearance, intellect and sex lives of former Miss Americas.
The next Miss America will be crowned at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall in a nationally televised broadcast on Sept. 9.