More internet scrubbing in Miss Oregon eligibility flap
The controversy about whether the new Miss Oregon, Rachel Berry, was in fact an Oregon resident long enough to be eligible for the title is really taking some weird turns. Web pages and photos that might shed light on that question are disappearing as fast as we can link to them. Earlier today, we linked to a photo showing that Berry's pageant mentor, California attorney Connie Benson, was the Astoria Regatta Queen in 1989. The point was that Benson apparently has connections to the pageant moms of Seaside, who control the Miss Oregon contest. Now, all of a sudden, Benson's own mom, Lynda Benson of Prineville, has made her Facebook page, on which that photo appeared, private. There's something extremely odd going on here.
The latest rumor is that someone has hired a private investigator to determine where Berry actually resided in October, November, and December of last year. If it wasn't in Oregon, Berry was ineligible.
Rachel, obviously you and your family, friends, and supporters are reading this. If you didn't really live in Oregon long enough to be eligible for the Miss Oregon pageant, you should do the smart thing and step down gracefully. You could say it was an honest mistake, and everyone would forgive you. Let runner-up Nichole Mead, who's a real Oregonian, go to the Miss America pageant, so that you can hold your head high the rest of your life. Looking over your shoulder for the next year just wouldn't be worth it. If you are forcibly dethroned, everything you worked for to get this far will be down the drain.
And if you didn't really live in Prineville, don't lie and say you did. You will be tripped up and exposed. Think about the harm that would cause, not only to you but to the other people involved.
UPDATE, 11:45 p.m.: Just as an experiment, here's a photo, posted on June 24 of this year, of Berry and Connie Benson at an undisclosed location. Here's one of Berry with a photo of Benson at the Seaside pageant two weeks ago. They're on Connie Benson's Facebook page, at this hour at least. Let's see how long they remain public. They don't show much -- just that the connection between the two women remains strong -- but given all the takedowns of the last few days, they may not be long for the public's eyes to see.
UPDATE, 7/16, 9:04 p.m.: More Twitter scrubbing, here.
| Posted at 9:15 PM | Permalink |
|
Comments (10)
Normally, I would ignore something like a beauty or Miss Whatever pageant. But it means a lot of hard work for a lot of people who care about this stuff. Politicians, CEO's, entertainers and athletes all face these opportunities to do the right thing when their character and actions are called into question. Some do, but it seems like far too many just can't stop the train they're on.
This is Rachel's defining moment.
I would add that any investigation on this case will have already captured the social network postings and the subsequent interviewing of witnesses and neighbors is a cinch. Then there's the DMV records, utility bills, voting registration and other public records available to an investigator.
Posted by Skeezicks | July 15, 2012 10:53 PM
There will also be the neighbors of whatever Oregon location might be claimed as Rachel's residence in October, November, and December. And her state tax returns, if she filed any, for 2011. And her November vote, if indeed she voted in that election.
Posted by Jack Bog | July 15, 2012 11:00 PM
Boring!
Side bets! Anyone giving odds on her "mentor" for Ms. Oregon State Leather? Contest in August at the Embers back bar.
Posted by dyspeptic | July 16, 2012 12:29 AM
Boring? yes, Unimportant, probably.
However, this situation points out the folly of lies for most people in quasi public life. You WILL be caught eventually, especially in this day and age, with all the social media about. Anyone with a cell phone is a paparazzi these days.
Fess up Rachael, and move on with your life. The lie is nearly always worse than whatever act you may have committed.
Now, if only we could convince the "banksters" to confess!
Posted by portland native | July 16, 2012 7:33 AM
Good luck on your quest. It's hard to take these women or pagents seriously beyond some nasty self-image issues they are working out.
Posted by Steve | July 16, 2012 7:41 AM
Well yeah those pageants are corrupt. Ever seen the last names Of some of the local directors and then the last names of some of the winners? (ok, maiden names for some) They match! Thanks for the crown, Mom!
Also why don't they just get a hold of her local pageant director (whatever it is) and question that person? Sounds like something was skipped over at that level.
Posted by K | July 16, 2012 8:41 AM
Personally, I thought the "EXIT" sign behind Ms. Berry's head in the update photo was a nice touch.
Posted by Max | July 16, 2012 11:45 AM
" ... where Berry actually resided .... If it wasn't in Oregon, Berry was ineligible." There you go again, quoting legalities.
Oh, Jack, such a Democratic liberal idealism sense you hold with. Seems almost quaint to hear said in these post-N.E.O. years of Dubya's 'new normal' fascism that someone thinks we uphold the rule of Law. Ha, not now, when the president murders whoever he has a droning whim to kill, and Seaside crowns whoever those beauty-business elites like as Miss Oregon. rules shmules
Of course, somebody could sue someone, so they'd take the case for upholding Law to Court ... back in the day. After the 2000 Justice 9 Supremes ruling (unsigned) showed every lower Judge that monied celebrity elitism has disestablished Justice, and so overturned the premier US Constitution mission statement, now there's no more exhaustive tangled mind-wracking with fungible ethical and moral or even legal precepts. Just let the highest bidder write every decision, rubber stamp it with a gavel, and pocket the money ... all tax-free, by precedent.
Miss Oregon ineligible by the rules??? Like, whatEVer. Elitism is above the law, by definition. Just look at her body of work, and she knows it -- she works out.
No, wait. Did I say 'Just'? I meant 'merely'.
Posted by Tenskwatawa | July 16, 2012 6:44 PM
connie and lynda do not have a facebook page. they do have a tiwt acct.
Posted by tk | July 20, 2012 1:00 AM
https://www.facebook.com/connie.benson1
Posted by Jack Bog | July 20, 2012 3:44 AM