There she goes, Miss America.
TV commentator and 1989 Miss America Gretchen Carlson _ who helped the beauty pageant shed its swimsuit showcase _ is stepping down from her role as board chairwoman of the Miss America Organization.
Carlson _ who filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against then-Fox News CEO Roger Ailes after her departure from the network in 2016 and received a settlement reported at $20 million _ took the role last year after a 2017 scandal in which derogatory emails about former Miss America winners by the organization's CEO and board members were exposed.
Carlson, 52, was the first former Miss America to head the group, and other former winners were also appointed to the board when she joined. Groundbreaking changes under Carlson's leadership included the controversial removal of the pageant's swimsuit competition.
"When I was asked to take this volunteer position over a year ago, I dedicated myself to helping the organization build on its history while working to secure its future and am extremely proud of the work we have collectively done," Carlson said in a statement Wednesday. "The time is ideal to give new leadership the opportunity to move forward with what has been accomplished."
She added that while she won't be a board member, she'll stay on as an adviser to the board. "Miss America will always be a part of who I am and I will enthusiastically watch as the organization continues to grow and succeed," Carlson said.
Last year, Miss America 2018 Cara Mund, who was previously crowned Miss North Dakota, claimed that pageant leaders including Carlson silenced and bullied her, according to NJ.com. "Right away, the new leadership delivered an important message," Mund wrote in a letter to former Miss Americas at the time. "There will be only one Miss America at a time, and she isn't me."
Carlson responded on Twitter that she "never bullied or silenced" Mund.
Former South Dakota Secretary of State Shantel Krebs will take over as chair, and attorney Brenda Keith will be vice chair. Both have been sitting on the board.
"Gretchen worked tirelessly as chair of the MAO Board of Directors to stabilize the program," the board stated. "As a board we acknowledge the vast support, time, and resources Gretchen has personally poured into the program and sincerely thank her for her dedication and service. We also are thrilled that Shantel and Brenda have agreed to lend their valuable talent, experience and expertise to leading the board as we approach this great institution's 100th anniversary."
The Miss America competition was founded in 1921. It originated with an event held the year before called "The Fall Frolic."
