Shanna Moakler Resigns as Miss California Pageant Director

USMagazine, Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 12:44pm (PDT)

The day after Carrie Prejean was told she could keep her Miss California crown, Shanna Moakler has resigned as executive director of Miss California USA pageant, she confirms to Usmagazine.com exclusively.

"Since the press conference yesterday, I had a chance to think about what has taken place, and I feel that at this time it is in my best interest to resign from the Miss California USA organization," Moakler tells Us.

"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," she continues. "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. I am sorry and hope I have not let any young supporters down but wish them the best of luck in fulfilling their dreams."

Miss California Carrie Prejean, 22, first ignited controversy at the April 19 Miss USA pageant when she told judge Perez Hilton that she believed marriage should be between only a man and a woman, igniting a cultural debate. The runner-up said her answer cost her the crown.

Prejean later announced that she'll be launching a campaign opposing gay marriage with the National Organization for Marriage.

Shortly after, Moakler announced she was appearing in a new ad supporting gay rights. She shot a print ad April 28 slamming Proposition 8, the initiative that bans gay marriage in California.

On Tuesday, pageant owner Donald Trump announced Prejean would keep her crown despite failing to reveal she had posed in her underwear as a teenager.

(Prejean said the pictures were leaked to humiliate her because of her anti-gay marriage views, calling it a "vicious and mean-spirited" attack. Even more photos hit the web before Trump's press conference Tuesday morning.)

On Monday, California pageant officials announced that Prejean violated her contract by lobbying on behalf of an anti-gay-marriage group and by failing to reveal that she had posed in her underwear as a teenager.

They appointed Tami Farrell, her runner-up, as "Beauty of California Ambassador" to fulfill any duties that Prejean might not be able to carry out.

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