Shanna Moakler, former Miss USA, resigned as the co-executive director of Miss California USA pageant on Wednesday, May 13, 2009. Moakler said that she no longer believe in the organization because of the decision of pageant owner, Donald Trump, to allow the controversial title holder of the state keep her crown.
After Carrie Prejean, Miss California USA, made a stir on her response to a query regarding gay marriage at Miss USA pageant last month, questions regarding her work with gay marriage opponents and almost nude pictures of her which was taken when was still a teenager placed her title in jeopardy.
At a news conference on May 11, 2009, Moakler furiously accused Prejean of violating the contract that she had signed with the organizers of the pageant. Trump however announced on May 12, 2009 that Prejean will keep her title.
The Miss USA of 1995, Moakler, stated that she decided after the news conference of Trump to quit. In a statement issued by Moakler’s publicist, she said that, “I cannot with a clear conscience move forward supporting and promoting the Miss Universe Organization when I no longer believe in it or the contracts I signed committing myself as a youth. I want to be a role model for young women with high hopes of pageantry, but now feel it more important to be a role model for my children.”
Rhona Graff-Ricci, the senior executive assistant of Trump, did not respond immediately on a request for a comment.
The Miss USA pageant’s first runner-up, Prejean, made a brouhaha as she responds to a query by Perez Hilton, a celebrity judge, saying that, “I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that’s how I was raised.”
After the gay rights supporters took her to task, the officials of California pageant said that Prejean asked for a permission to further elaborate her answer and they all agreed. However, they said that she began to speak without their permission in the crowds’ front opposing to gay marriage, including the National Organization for Marriage and her San Diego church.
Keith Lewis,the co-executive director of the state, said that Prejean also start on missing the events for Miss California that she was contractually responsible to attend.
On Tuesday, May 12, 2009, Trump stated that there was a miscommunication among pageant organizers, Prejean and several outside groups, but further added that “the communication problem, I believe, is totally solved.”
Trump has defended the statements of Prejean that marriage must be exclusive only to men and women, saying that her position was the same to President Barack Obama.
Pictures of Prejean wearing her underwear, which was taken when she was only 17, came out after the Miss USA pageant.
Moakler said that the pageant officials were not as unhappy with the photos of Prejean, with the fact that she did not disclose them, as required on the contract that she signed.
Lewis stated that he was saddened by the resignation of Moakler but “would always respect the convictions that brought her to this place.”
No related posts.
