A federal judge in New York has upheld an arbitrator's ruling that a
Pennsylvania beauty queen must pay the Miss USA pageant $5 million for
defaming Donald Trump's pageant organization.
Sheena Monnin resigned as Miss Pennsylvania last year, saying the Miss
USA contest was rigged. She claimed another contestant learned the names
of the top five finishers hours before the show was broadcast. Monnin
said she decided to turn in her crown as soon as those same contestants
were named during the show.
She posted a series of messages on Facebook and spoke publicly about her
claims. Trump's Miss Universe Organization sued Monnin for defamation
and an arbitrator ruled against her in December. The arbitrator said
Monnin's allegations cost the pageant a $5 million fee from a potential
2013 sponsor.
Earlier this week, U.S. District Court Judge J. Paul Oetken upheld the
arbitrator's decision. Monnin had sought to have it overturned based on
three grounds: the arbitrator overstepped his authority, his decision
disregarded law, and she didn't know the arbitration hearing was taking
place. The judge disagreed.
Monnin, of Cranberry, Pa., said in a Facebook post Thursday evening that
she is glad the truth is out there, regardless of the outcome.
"This is not about me being a 'sore loser' or wanting my '15 minutes of
fame'" she wrote. "This is about the MUO's admission under oath that
they manipulate the judges' results to suit their own ends. This is not
what they advertise to the public."
Pageant organizers claimed Monnin resigned because she disagreed with a
decision to allow transgender contestants. They made public text from an
email they said Monnin sent citing the decision to allow natural-born
males into the competition as the reason for her resignation. A
transgender contestant was initially denied entry to the Miss Universe
Canada pageant because she wasn't born female, but Trump overruled that
decision.
Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island won the Miss USA pageant that year.
Monnin wrote on Facebook page that her legal fees amount to more than
$50,000 and she needed financial support, including a link for
donations.
Trump's lawyer said he applauded the judge's decision but was surprised Monnin stood by her story.
"I'm shocked to see that she has yet to learn her lesson. I thought she
would be smarter the second time around," attorney Michael Cohen said.
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