Carrie Prejean's lawsuit against Miss California USA

"Carrie Prejean is finally firing back at the people behind Miss California USA," said TMZ.com. The former Miss California USA crown bearer—who clashed with pageant judge/blogger Perez Hilton over same-sex marriage—just filed a lawsuit "claiming Shanna Moakler and other pageant officials forced her out because of her religious beliefs." Included in the suit are allegations of "religious discrimination, defamation, public disclosure of private facts, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress."

"Is it any surprise," said Jack Ryan in The Post Chronicle, "after all the pushing, shoving, and protesting" over Carrie Prejean's public statement against gay marriage that "she would strike back"? Prejean "was terminated from her position" as Miss California USA in June because pageant head Keith Lewis “claimed that she violated her contract," but "apparently" it was "simply for her religious beliefs on the issue." This "fight isn't over yet."

Look, said Gawker, "everyone wanted to strip Prejean of her crown because of her inarticulate embrace of bigotry, but that didn't happen. Donald Trump didn't allow it." Carrie Prejean was fired "when she became a right-wing martyr and started making her own media appearances while ignoring Miss California-related contractual obligations"—end of story.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up