Hagan was also ridiculed over a bathing suit photo in which she appeared to have gained weight from when she competed in and won the pageant.
Mallory Hagan spoke out about the scandal online, questioning how the board could have "full confidence" in a man who "thinks it's 'perfect' to call the women who are Miss Americas c***ts."
She retweeted many messages of support from her followers and said in a Twitter video while it was "extremely difficult to relive" the proof of what she had long suspected, it was "validating" to hear. She also encouraged young women not to abandon the contest, but to call-out behaviour where they see it.
"I really hope that it's inspiring to ... young women everywhere that having someone bully you belittle you, demean you in any way is not OK, no matter what," she said.
CEO apologises ...to his board
The emails have cost the pageant its television production partner, and raised questions about the future of the nationally televised broadcast from Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall the week after US Labor Day each year.
Dick Clark Productions told The Associated Press it was made aware of the emails several months ago.
"We were appalled by their unacceptable content and insisted, in the strongest possible terms, that the Miss America Organisation board of directors conduct a comprehensive investigation and take appropriate action to address the situation," the company said in a statement. "Shortly thereafter, we resigned our board positions and notified MAO that we were terminating our relationship with them."
In its own statement Thursday night, the Miss America Organisation said that Haskell, who earns $500,000 a year as CEO, had apologised to the board for his comments.
The statement did not say if he had apologised to the women mentioned by name in the emails, or whether such an apology was conveyed to them.
The organisation said the emails "contain inappropriate language that is unbecoming at best and is not, in any way, indicative of the character and integrity of MAO or its representatives.
"Please note that MAO does not condone the use of inappropriate language and apologises for this situation.
The Board of Directors took the allegations very seriously, investigated them, and considers the matter closed."
Haskell said he would address the matter on Friday; he did not respond to a follow-up inquiry as to whether he had apologised directly to the women named in the emails.
The comments are in stark contrast to the glowing, supportive statements Haskell repeatedly made in public about past title winners.
The Huffington Post article shows that Haskell and others directed considerable attention to Hagan, who won the 2013 pageant.
He forwarded an email he had been sent regarding Hagan to a writer for the pageant, who has since been terminated. The writer responded by questioning whether he and Haskell were part of a tiny group of people who had not had sex with Hagan.
"It appears we are the only ones!" Haskell replied, according to the Huffington Post.
- AP
