Miss USA contestant who claimed pageant was fixed fined $5 million
NEW YORK (AP) - A beauty queen who claimed this year's Miss USA contest was fixed has been ordered to pay the pageant organization $5 million for defamation.
In a decision signed last week, an arbitrator found that the comments from Miss Pennsylvania USA Sheena Monnin were false, harmful and malicious. Monnin had alleged that the five finalists had been selected in advance of the pageant's live telecast.
The arbitrator, Theodore Katz, said Monnin had two motives: "She was a disgruntled contestant who failed to make it past the preliminary competition" and she objected to the pageant's decision to allow transgender contestants. He wrote that the way the contest is judged "precludes any reasonable possibility that the judging was rigged."
Monnin, of Cranberry, Pa., resigned her state title after the pageant. Her allegations on Facebook and NBC's "Today" show cost the pageant a $5 million fee from a potential 2013 sponsor, Katz said.
Monnin's lawyer, Richard Klineburger III, had no comment on the decision, his office said.
Katz said Monnin agreed to arbitrate any disputes when she became a Miss USA contestant, but he wrote in his decision that she and her lawyer didn't participate in the process and claimed they were not required to do so.
The winner of the Miss USA pageant, Rhode Island's Olivia Culpo, competes Wednesday in the Miss Universe pageant.
In a decision signed last week, an arbitrator found that the comments from Miss Pennsylvania USA Sheena Monnin were false, harmful and malicious. Monnin had alleged that the five finalists had been selected in advance of the pageant's live telecast.
The arbitrator, Theodore Katz, said Monnin had two motives: "She was a disgruntled contestant who failed to make it past the preliminary competition" and she objected to the pageant's decision to allow transgender contestants. He wrote that the way the contest is judged "precludes any reasonable possibility that the judging was rigged."
Monnin, of Cranberry, Pa., resigned her state title after the pageant. Her allegations on Facebook and NBC's "Today" show cost the pageant a $5 million fee from a potential 2013 sponsor, Katz said.
Monnin's lawyer, Richard Klineburger III, had no comment on the decision, his office said.
Katz said Monnin agreed to arbitrate any disputes when she became a Miss USA contestant, but he wrote in his decision that she and her lawyer didn't participate in the process and claimed they were not required to do so.
The winner of the Miss USA pageant, Rhode Island's Olivia Culpo, competes Wednesday in the Miss Universe pageant.
Who picked the arbitrator, the pageant? One of the problems with arbitration agreements is that they take way your right to a fair and impartial hearing either in front of a judge or a jury. Not saying the arbitrator's decision wasn't right it just wasn't necessarily impartial.
The only thing rigged is Trump's hair
Do women with boob jobs and good looks think they are entitled to something more? I can think of a lot more women without boob jobs and might be a 8 or 9 that deserve more for the love in their hearts than beauty contestants.
 @mr Kent I seriously doubt those are not natural, these women are the top 0.1% not something you encounter doing your daily chores LOL
Something is 'fixed'. I'm not so sure it's the pagent though.
I'm going to agree that transgender persons don't belong in the Miss USA contest.
Like beauty pageants weren't enough of an unbelievably meaningless joke without her making up accusations about them not having enough integrity to judge women based solely on their physical appearance/ability to look like Barbie dolls. What is this moron thinking (assuming she is capable, which I'm sure is a stretch)?
 @Jolly But like, you know, they do good too, like, you know, whirled peas! We need more Whirled Peas!!! I mean, and little girls look up to them en' stuff.......
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**gag**
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 @Susabelle  @Jolly " I dream of a world where people are not judged by their personality, but the quality of their work...errr......work they've had done.....errr, ummm, I mean.......oh dammit, can't I just go back to the casting couch?"
 @Wolfen  @Jolly "Sure sweet cheeks, I'll find you later and discuss the work you've had done..........."
Amazing. Four days ago, I predicted that it would be six days until yet ANOTHER article mentioning transgenders (in keeping with the internal memo to acclimate everyone to the latest agenda). But it only took four days!!!
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The new agenda continues. Next article on transgenders in 4-6 days (I'm giving myself some hedge room this time).
Anyone doubt these things are rigged?lol You could ask good old Donald Trump. I'm sure you would get a straight answer out of him.lol
Fail!
Weird, that doesn't look like a kitchen I've ever seen...
A few Playboy pictures and movies and she will have that paid off in no time. I don't feel sorry for her. She should have taken her defeat like the lady she claimed to be when she entered the contest.
Of course the contest is fake. Its as fake as the boobs on the contestants!
 @The WA Mama Those are FAKE? *sniff* What has our society become? Plastic and superficial?........oh......I forgot..... :)
 @Wolfen  @The WA Mama My husband and I play the fake or real game while out............... I've never really understood it, carve up your body, add plastic to your boobs, butt, cheekbones, ........chisel off some jaw, fix that nose......sheesh! I mean really people, I get reconstructive after disease or accident, but changing perfectly good body parts in the name of vanity? Yuck.
Something else looks fixed....
 @Throbbinhood *bolted on* would be more appropriate :)
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How artificial. UGH
She looks like a young Janice Dickinson.
 @Tattooed_Angel Let's hope she ages a little better than Janice though.
Yes I agree thats one fine banner...
You know, the writer of the article should have just posted the headline, her photo, and nothing more. That would have been sufficient.
I hope she actually has to pay up. What a dumb****.
Boy thats one nice banner!
I didn't even see a banner!
Hmmmm no comments. Â Are people having trouble scrolling down past the picture?
@midel haha, You might as well keep scrolling, unless you want to help her pay off that 5million debt she just acquired.
How do you make the motorboat sound in comment form??
I'm thinking something like Pbbbbbbbbbbbbbbffffffffffffffffffffftttttttttttttttttttttttttt.
@Shelly Thats pretty good! You do any other tricks. ; )
@F4I Yes ;)Â
Time to get familiar with Pennsylvania and federal bankruptcy laws you knucklehead.Â