Gretchen Carlson pens open letter to Miss America Cara Mund: "I have never bullied or silenced you"

The Hollywood Reporter

The Miss America Pageant chair tweeted an open letter response Sunday night to reigning Miss America Mund's open letter accusing Carlson and the pageant's leadership of bullying, manipulating and silencing her. Carlson explains that she's been unsuccessful in her attempts to reach Mund since her open letter came out Friday, as Mund only wants to communicate via email. The former Fox News anchor goes on to write she was "surprised and saddened" by Mund's letter. "I also want to be clear that I have never bullied or silenced you," she writes. "In fact, I have acknowledged to you and your parents many times that the organization understands the frustrations of serving during such a change-filled and stressful year." Since Mund's letter came out, Carlson writes, "we learned that $75,000 in scholarships which would have been the first scholarship increase in years, is no longer on the table as a direct result of the explosive allegations in your letter. The impact won’t stop there — we are already seeing a negative ripple effect across the entire organization, and I am so concerned that it will dilute the experience for the next woman selected to wear the crown." ALSO: Two former Miss Americas are expected to denounce Carlson Monday on Megyn Kelly Today.