8/31/2009

in

Former Miss California USA sued pageant officials over her firing, claiming libel, slander, and religious discrimination.

Danielle DeLeon

Ex-Miss California USA Carrie Prejean sued pageant officials for libel, slander, and religious discrimination, Monday.  
  
Prejean sued California pageant executive director Keith Lewis and former Miss USA Shanna Moakler claiming that she was wrongfully fired because of her comments on gay marriage.  
  
The lawsuit also claims that Lewis and Moakler told her not to mention God in her comments long before Prejean's comment on gay marriage.  
  
According to [the Associated Press](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h2k_jaowU7BPFzCx99CyZNL4HIVAD9AE4F4G0), Prejean was fired in June for missing scheduled appearances, said pageant officials. However, Prejean's attorney, Chuck LiMandri, said that Prejean was fired because she said that marriage should be between a man and woman.  
  
[The Associated Press](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h2k_jaowU7BPFzCx99CyZNL4HIVAD9AE4F4G0) reported that LiMandri requested detailed information about the appearances Prejean missed. After analyzing the information, LiMandri concluded, "There were no contract violations."  
  
The lawsuit also claims that Lewis and Moakler revealed that the Miss California USA paid for Prejean's breast implants.  
  
Prejean was first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant, and many believe that Prejean's comment about gay marriage cost her the crown.  
  
Publicist Roger Neal, who handles Miss USA and Lewis, also is named in the lawsuit. However, Prejean did not sue Donald Trump, who owns Miss California USA's parent organization.