Former Miss California sues pageant officials

Former Miss California USA Carrie Prejean sued pageant officials Monday for libel, slander and religious discrimination, accusing them of telling her to stop mentioning God even before her controversial remarks against gay marriage.

Prejean sued California pageant executive director Keith Lewis and actress and former Miss USA Shanna Moakler, who served as a co-director before resigning in protest of Prejean.

Prejean was fired in June by pageant officials who said she missed several scheduled appearances.

Her attorney, Chuck LiMandri, said that wasn’t true, and said Prejean was ousted because of controversial remarks in April during the Miss USA pageant concerning marriage should be between a man and a woman.

She was named first runner-up, and many believe she lost her shot at the Miss USA crown because of her answer.

LiMandri said Prejean filed suit only after he sought detailed information on what events
Prejean missed.

“I wanted to give them every opportunity to provide the basis for those claims,” LiMandri said.

He said he found no proof that Prejean missed events.     

“There were no contract violations,” he said.