The Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants are owned by Donald Trump and NBC Universal.
Miss Pennsylvania Sheena MonninMiss Pennsylvania Sheena Monnin has stepped down, claiming the recent Miss USA 2012 pageant in which she competed was rigged.
Postings on Sheena Monnin's Facebook page detail her decision to distance herself from the Miss Universe Organization.
"Many people have sent me messages requesting and at times demanding that I come forward if I know information that has led to my abrupt and surprising resignation. I agree that it is my moral obligation to state what I witnessed and what I know to be true. I will relay to you the reasoning behind my resignation. I witnessed another contestant who said she saw the list of the Top 5 BEFORE THE SHOW EVER STARTED proceed to call out in order who the Top 5 were before they were announced on stage. Apparently the morning of June 3rd she saw a folder lying open to a page that said 'FINAL SHOW Telecast, June 3, 2012' and she saw the places for Top 5 already filled in.... We agreed to wait and see if that was indeed the Top 5 called that night. After it was indeed the Top 5 I knew the show must be rigged; I decided at that moment to distance myself from an organization who did not allow fair play and whose morals did not match my own."
On her Facebook profile, Monnin, 27, described her political views as conservative and her religion as Christian.
The Miss Universe Organization, which runs the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, is owned by Donald Trump and NBC Universal.
Speaking on NBC's "Today" show this morning, Trump countered that Monnin stepped down because she disagreed with the recent decision to allow transgender contestants.
The millionaire real estate developer and TV personality said that Monnin, in his opinion, did not have the characteristics necessary to be a Miss USA finalist.
Trump threatened to take legal action against Monnin for accusing the Miss Universe Organization of fraud.
Pageant officials said they were "disappointed that (Monnin) would attempt to steal the spotlight form Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island on her well-deserved Miss USA win.”
Culpo was crowned the new Miss USA Sunday night. The 20-year-old cellist and Boston University student was chosen by a panel of judges from a field of 51 contestants at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.
In the final round, the Cranston, RI, native was faced with the most difficult question of the night: Would it be fair for a transgender contestant to be named Miss Universe? Culpo embraced the Miss Universe Organization's recent decision to admit transgender contestants.
Culpo will represent the United States in this year’s Miss Universe pageant.