STATEMENT OF MATT RICH

PRESIDENT, PLANT PR
RE: FORMER MISS UNIVERSE ALICIA MACHADO
When Donald J. Trump bought the Miss Universe company I was working for John
Kluge, whom Trump admired. Mr. Trump asked me to lead the team that oversaw the
ladies and their charitable activities. Venezuela's Alicia Machado (Miss Universe 1996)
recently made several claims that fly in the face of reality.
They are shocking lies, in my view, totally self-serving. She is now endorsing and being
endorsed by the Clinton team for her untruths. As you know, at the debate Mrs. Clinton
repeated the lies. I was there and I was the one who carried Alicia's messages to Mr.
Trump and his to her. In fact, I was always at each and every encounter Mr. Trump had
with her. It was a totally different reality than what she is now presenting.
She had asked for the help that Mr. Trump gave and wept openly saying, Nobody has
ever cared for me the way he has! In interviews at the times she said similar things
praising Mr. Trump. But now she keeps granting interviews saying wild untruths; I
challenger her version. I saved the news clips of interviews I had arranged for her to
help set the story straight. The clips below are from her interviews and they debunk her
myths. She had eating disorders long before she met Mr. Trump. She also originated the
name "Miss Piggy". Mr. Trump never called her that and I was with them at every
encounter.
Now, 20 years later, she blames the man who she once said helped her the most. Her
reasons aren't too mysterious - Venezuela is in urgent economic decline and she needs
to make a home in America.
I make no secret that I have worked for two decades for Mr. Trumps companies and
undertakings. I am not a surrogate for Trump nor am I paid to say what I'm saying. I
have not discussed this with his campaign.
I strongly believe Mr. Trump is a great man who will be a strong, decisive president.
Beyond that, this lady is making up a history that does not exist and I am an eye and ear
witness to that.

Let me know if there is an interest in following up on your great story today.

[Contact Michael Caputo - Caputo@ZeppCom.com]

THE MEDIA CLIPS AROUND THAT TIME

(Available on Nexus/Lexus)
March 24, 1997
SOURCE: The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, Australia)
LENGTH: 213 words
SINGAPORE: Miss Universe Alicia Machado, whose weight problems have become
legendary, denies having a voracious appetite for sugar and starch, blaming her busy
schedule and fussy hosts for the extra mass.
"People think Miss Universe is a piggy or a cow but I eat normally," the Straits Times
quoted the 60-kilo (132-pound) Venezuelan -- 11 kilos heavier since winning the world's
most prestigious beauty crown -- as saying.
Machado, here to crown Miss Singapore Universe on Saturday, said her schedule left
little time for exercise, but she also blamed a universal gesture of hospitality -- offering
local delicacies.
"I travel a lot to different countries and every time people say, 'Alicia try this food, try that
food.' I can't say, "No, I'm dieting, I only eat fat-free food'."
Machado, meeting the Singapore press Thursday, said she was "anorexic" when she
became Miss Universe at 49 kilos, which she described as an "unreal weight" for
someone like her who stands at 1.72 meters (five feet eight inches).
"Not everyone can be Cindy Crawford or Claudia Schiffer. I want to show you that you
can be pretty with a little more weight. The most important thing is to be healthy and eat
well," she added.
Leaving the room, she quipped: "Where's the chocolate cake?"

--August 24, 1996, Saturday

'Fat' teen queen makes stout denial
SOURCE: Hamilton (Ontario) Spectator
LENGTH: 93 words
LOS ANGELES: Miss Universe, Venezuela's Alicia Machado, left New Mexico
yesterday, refusing to answer questions about her weight or claims she was told either
to go on a crash diet or give up her title.
Miss Machado, 19, flew to Los Angeles after leaving the New Mexico town of Las
Cruces, where she attended the Miss Teen USA pageant.
Miss Machado was reportedly told to shed 12kg in two weeks or risk losing her crown.
--August 20, 1996 Tuesday Final Edition
Miss Universe told to lose weight or lose title
SOURCE: REUTERS
LENGTH: 123 words
CARACAS: Venezuelan beauty queen Alicia Machado, the reigning Miss Universe, has
been told to go on a crash diet or risk losing her crown, Venezuelan beauty contest
officials said yesterday.
Miss Universe organizers gave Ms Machado just two weeks to lose 27 pounds (12
kilograms).
If she fails, the title will be handed to runner-up Taryn Mansell of Aruba.
"She has various swimsuit contracts and they're not happy that she has gone a bit
chubby," a pageant official said.
Ms Machado, 18, became the fourth Venezuelan to take the world's top beauty crown in
Las Vegas in May. Her aides, questioned yesterday, were not willing to discuss her
current weight. When she won the crown in Las Vegas in May she weighed 112 pounds
(50 kilograms).

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