Local

Former Miss Pa. stands by 'fraud' claims despite Donald Trump lawsuit threat

NEW YORK — Former Miss Pennsylvania USA and Cranberry Township native, Sheena Monnin isn't backing down from her claims that the Miss USA pageant is fixed, despite a threat of a lawsuit from Donald Trump.

Trump said Monnin's claims are all lies, and he wants an apology. But Monnin offered nothing of the sort in her first public interview Friday on NBC's "Today" show.

Monnin said she is disappointed with Trump's comments and intends to pursue the truth.

Monnin said she resigned from her title as Miss Pennsylvania after, she said, Miss Florida told her the top five contestants for the Miss USA pageant were preselected before the live show.

"I think it's too coincidental for someone to be able to call out in order, the top five before the top 16 were even narrowed down. To me that just doesn't make sense. That's not logical that that could actually be," Monnin said.

Trump, who is a co-owner of the Miss Universe Pageant System, said Miss Florida denies any knowledge of an actual list and only made certain remarks as a joke.

Monnin contends that what she was told came true when the top five were revealed. Monnin said she thinks Miss Florida is backing down because she is scared.

Officials from the Miss Universe Pageant System said Monnin is upset because the pageant now allows transgendered contestants to compete.

Monnin said the change did upset her initially, but it was the supposed fixing of the pageant that caused her to resign.

There is no word on if Trump has moved forward with a lawsuit.