Miss Ventura County Pageant Controversey Gets Gooooood!

Posted Sep 14th 2007 2:44PM

Hilary Gushwa, the Miss Ventura County winner who lost her title after officials learned she was married at the time of the pageant, now claims that the mother of one of the contestants she defeated was behind the investigation to have her taken down. *hissssss!*

Through her attorneys, Gushwa claims that Jackie Youngern, a pageant committee member who is also employed as an Investigative Assistant with the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, used her badge "in an attempt to intimidate witnesses, obtain statements, and solicit clerks at government offices to obtain records." Youngern's daughter also competed for the crown. Craziness!

Ironically enough, when the story first broke, Youngern was quoted by the Ventura County Star, saying, "Only girls that are entitled to it are deserving to own the crown ... This program runs on trust, and she's broken that trust."

Gushwa says the marriage in question was annulled, and that she committed no criminal acts. She claims that she filled out the application for the pageant in August 2004 -- "long before any alleged marriage took place." Yeah, two whole months?! The pageant and marriage took place within weeks of each other in October 2004!

Calls to Youngern's office were not immediately returned.