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Prejean’s lawsuit extends her time in limelight
By: Kiki Ryan
09/01/09 12:05 AM EDT
Just as her fame clock creeped close to the 15-minute mark, “opposite marriage” advocate and former Miss California Carrie Prejean hit the snooze button for the third time.
The dethroned beauty queen is suing Miss California USA officials Shanna Moakler and Keith Lewis, claiming the organization forcibly removed her crown because of her religious beliefs.
Prejean became famous (or infamous) for her answer to celebrity blogger Perez Hilton’s question about gay marriage. In the days that followed, the beauty queen also took heat for saying she’d rather be “biblically correct than politically correct.”
Following her dethroning June 10, she told TMZ.com, “What’s behind this I think is a political debate. They don’t agree with the stance that I took [on Proposition 8]. Shanna [Moakler] is trying to bash me. They don’t like me. From day one they wanted me out and they got what they wanted.”
Lawyers for Miss California USA responded by saying Prejean didn’t follow through on her pageant obligations, she inked a book deal without their permission and engaged in what they described as “intolerable misbehavior.”
Prejean’s lawsuit seeks damages for religious discrimination, defamation, public disclosure of private facts, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Prejean is no stranger to D.C.’s political and media circles. In the weeks following her memorable pageant moment, she spoke at the National Press Club and was Fox News’ guest to the Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner.
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