and Donald Trump and lawyers

It’s not as interesting as the Miss Puerto Rico story, with its wardrobe malfunction/possible pepper-spraying, but California now has its own beauty pageant controversy. Officials of the Donald Trump-owned Miss California USA Pageant say there was an accounting error when the votes were totaled last week, and the winner is actually Miss Barstow, not Miss Los Angeles, who was crowned at the end of the pageant. Please adjust your ideals of Trump-sponsored femininity accordingly.

An accounting error? Just how complex are the calculations that determine who looks best in a bathing suit? Of course, this isn’t the first time one of Donald Trump’s businesses has shown a flair for unorthodox accounting. And, true to Trump form, the pageant officials have remained Donald-style classy while handling this screw-up.

“They never could explain their accounting error, but told me that if I didn’t give up my crown to Miss Barstow, my personal integrity could be questioned, and my career could potentially suffer,” Miss Los Angeles told the Associated Press. Miss Barstow may now have the crown, but Miss Los Angeles has an attorney and is weighing her options. Truth and beauty may be headed to court.

But before the lawyers bark, let’s wish Miss Barstow good luck. Think about it: the results of a contest being overturned, and a new winner being declared after a suspect vote-count. That brings back some unpleasant memories. The last time something like this happened, it turned out badly. Very badly. Let’s hope Miss Barstow doesn’t see her tainted victory as a mandate to invade the Middle Eastern country of her choice.

Tags: accounting errors, Donald Trump, ideals of Trump-sponsored femininity, Miss Barstow, Miss California USA, Miss Los Angeles, Miss Puerto Rico, pepper spray, voting irregularities