Miss America leadership resigns in email shaming scandal

Wayne Parry, The Associated Press</span>
Published Saturday, December 23, 2017 3:23PM EST

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- 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, New Jersey-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, which first reported on them Thursday. Haskell said he made "a mistake of words."

Haskell's resignation is effective immediately, while Randle and Weidner will remain for a few weeks to help with a leadership transition.

UPDATE FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: This afternoon, the Board of Directors of the Miss America Organization accepted...
Posted by Miss America Organization on Saturday, 23 December 2017

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