Big Hollywood reports that Carrie Prejean, who was stripped of her crown as Miss California USA, is seeking legal action:
Carrie Prejean’s attorney, Charles S. LiMandri announced today that the former Miss California USA is filing a complaint in the Superior Court of California against Miss California USA officials Keith Lewis and Shanna Moakler, and publicist Roger Neal. The complaint cites damages to Miss Prejean including libel, public disclosure of private facts, religious discrimination, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Miss Prejean was fired from her role as Miss California USA in June of this year, following several months of controversy over her answer at the Miss USA pageant regarding same-sex marriage. Lewis claimed Miss Prejean’s termination was due to a violation of contract. Miss Prejean’s complaint will refute that allegation, and demonstrate that both the chronology and factual evidence clearly show she lived up to all her contractual obligations, but was fired, harassed and publicly attacked solely due to her religious beliefs.
Charles S. LiMandri, attorney for Miss Prejean, released the following statement regarding the complaint:
“Over the past two months we have worked hard to provide overwhelming evidence that Carrie Prejean did not violate her contract with Miss California USA and did not deserve to have her title revoked by Keith Lewis. We will make the case that her title was taken from her solely because of her support of traditional marriage. Keith Lewis has refused to clear her good name or even to admit any wrongdoing. Therefore, Carrie Prejean is left with no alternative but to take her case to court where she expects to be fully vindicated.”
Looking back at the incident it appears that the pageant had no problem with her statement on gay marriage and Donald Trump defended her right to the title at the time. She was not stripped of the crown until later when complaints were made that she was failing to make appearances she was contractually obligated to attend.
Update: TMZ has this response from a representative of pageant official Shanna Moakler:
A rep for Moakler tells TMZ: “Ms. Moakler has not yet been served with Carrie Prejean’s lawsuit. However, on Ms. Moakler’s behalf, I can say unequivocally that Ms. Prejean’s lawsuit is without merit. More importantly, as everyone who watched or read her public statements is well aware, Ms. Prejean’s unfortunate and bigoted statements are responsible for any public humiliation or damages to her reputation that she has claimed to have suffered. Ms. Moakler strenuously denies that she did anything wrong and looks forward to proving that in a court of law.”
Donald Trump is not named in the suit.
Rather ironic that free speech only applies when it suits the liberal media. I hope she sues them back into the stone age.
John,
What the hell are you talking about?. I’ve defended her right to free speech in previous posts, including her right to express her views on marriage. This suit has nothing to do with free speech as she was fired for breach of contract.
» Carrie Prejean Seeking Legal Action Against Miss California USA …: “Over the past two months we have worked .. http://bit.ly/17MEUc
» Carrie Prejean Seeking Legal Action Against Miss California USA … http://tinyurl.com/nfqegt
» Carrie Prejean Seeking Legal Action Against Miss California USA … http://tinyurl.com/nfqegt
Moakler was very outspoken in her belief that Prejean’s statements about gay marriage were entirely ‘against the values’ of the Miss California USA pageant. She was also very, very upset with Trump’s decision not to invalidate her title during the pageant. Post pageant and prior to the stripping of the crown, Moakler made a wide selection of negative comments about the substance of Prejean’s views. The reason Prejean was not honoring her Miss California USA contract was that she was spending time being the darling of the religious right because of her statements.
While I agree that Prejean has no case and tend to think she should just suck it up and move on, it is impossible in this situation to separate the ‘free speech’ issue from the ‘breach of contract’ issue. This is because Prejean was in breach of contract because she spent all her time exercising her right to free speech and never did the job she contracted to do. 😉
I also think that some of Moakler’s comments about Prejean’s ‘values’ and the proper ‘values’ of a Miss California USA make it regrettably easy for people on the right to point to said comments and say ‘She was just looking for an excuse to get rid of Carrie.’
The problem with Prejean’s case is that she gave said excuse. Had she not done so, she’d not have been stripped.
» Carrie Prejean Seeking Legal Action Against Miss California USA …: “Over the past two months we have worked .. http://bit.ly/17MEUc
» Carrie Prejean Seeking Legal Action Against Miss California USA … http://tinyurl.com/nfqegt
» Carrie Prejean Seeking Legal Action Against Miss California USA … http://tinyurl.com/nfqegt
I think that the pageant should counter-sue her for her boob job.
Prejean is a symbol for bipartisanship. Well at least when I’m looking at a photo of her in her swimsuit all partisan thoughts seem to leave my mind.
I never thought I would say this after some of the ridiculous right wing stuff that you regurgitate Mike.. but I couldnt agree more.. haha
although here is one “bi” thought.. I wonder if her and Palin.. wait.. wrong blog for that.. LOL
who care what comes out of her mouth…
her legs are amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing….
the Liberals who took her crown away just have to grow the balls to say, “we dont agree with her views because they are immoral. thats why we fired her. ” if prejean had stated that she doesnt believe in marriage between a black man and a white womam, would people be commending her for her honesty?
falmenfroot,
Do you have the slightest idea what happened in this case. Liberals did not take away her crown, and many liberals have defended Prejean’s right to express her views. She lost her crown for failing to meet her commitments as Miss California, not because of her views.