Miss California still has her crown (for now)

Officials of the Miss California USA pageant have strongly criticized titleholder Carrie Prejean but say it's not their decision whether she should be stripped of her crown.

Co-executive directors Keith Lewis and Shanna Moakler told a Beverly Hills press conference Monday that only Miss USA pageant owner Donald Trump can make that decision. He plans to hold a press conference at 11 a.m. Tuesday (GMT) in New York City.

The 21-year-old San Diego native created controversy during the Miss USA pageant when she said she believes marriage should only be between a man and a woman. Shortly thereafter, she signed on to be a spokesperson for the National Organization for Marriage’s campaign against same-sex marriage.

Her views, and the strident reaction to them, came in the midst of heated nationwide debates over same-sex weddings which have recently been legalized in five U.S. states but banned in a California referendum in November.

The state pageant has been investigating whether she violated her contract by making public appearances with groups opposed to same-sex marriage.

Keith Lewis said the state pageant has never criticized Prejean for her beliefs, but he added that Miss California USA must represent everyone in the state.

"When you wear the title that says 'I represent everyone,' you can't then polarize the people you represent," said Lewis. "There's no difference between Carrie Prejean and Miss California USA."

He said the last straw came "when she decided she wanted to move forward with media interviews despite the fact that her message was dividing us rather than bringing us back together."

Prejean also failed to reveal that she once posed in her underwear. A photo of the beauty queen, clad only in panties, appeared last week on a gossip blog.

Although Prejean said the pictures were taken when she was 17, others have alleged that they seem to have been taken after she underwent breast-enhancement surgery in 2008. That surgery was paid for by the Miss California pageant.

Co-director and former Miss USA Shanna Moakler said that women entering the pageant are given documents that require full disclosure, but they do not say that any disclosure will make the person ineligible.

Video   Officials: Prejean has breached contract May 11: Keith Lewis and Shanna Moakler from the Miss California USA Pageant, say that Carrie Prejean's marriage comments have not endangered her crown, but her actions since the Miss USA pageant have. MSNBC

"For us, the severity of nudity is not the issue," said Moakler. "The fact that she entered the contest under false pretense is."

The officials said Prejean has been "unavailable" and so in the meantime they have appointed the state pageant's runner-up, Tami Farrell, as a "Beauty of California Ambassador" to fulfill any duties the winner normally would handle. 

Moakler also expressed frustration at being unable to reach Prejean because of her many handlers. "Carrie has been unavailable to us, to her sponsors and to her responsibilities as Miss California USA because of her commitment to outside organizations," she said.

Lewis said that if Trump allows Prejean to retain her crown, state pageant officials would welcome her back and encourage her to take part in her normal duties.

More from TODAY Makeover! New look gets her a proposal Ho-ho-ho! White House Christmas tree arives Sad development: The last Kodachrome film lab Clickable video: Hottest tech gifts of 2009 Star quality? Get your guy on the TODAY show

MORE FROM BEAUTY PAGEANTS

Beauty pageants Section Front

Miss Calif. pageant gives ad time to gay group Carrie Prejean: ‘I was not having sex’ in video Excerpt: Former Miss California: I was smeared Mario Lopez to host Miss America pageant Former Miss California, pageant settle lawsuits First non-black Miss Hampton U says sorry Double whammy: Twins win pageant back to back Miss Plastic Hungary promotes enhanced gals Limbaugh to judge 2010 Miss America pageant Beauty queen resigns after lingerie fraud Beauty pageants Section Front   Add Beauty pageants headlines to your news reader: