Former beauty queen removed from religious council amid controversy

Former beauty queen removed from religious council amid controversy

The current administration reportedly swiftly removed a former beauty pageant winner from a religious council amid allegations she disrupted a hearing on antisemitism, according to sources familiar with the matter. The dismissal has drawn support from religious leaders and conservative factions.

Carrie Prejean Boller, who won a regional beauty contest in 2009, was allegedly removed from the Religious Liberty Commission after she reportedly worked to “hijack a hearing” held this week regarding antisemitism in the country. According to the commission’s chair, a regional political figure, she was dismissed for attempting to promote her “own personal and political agenda.”

“These commissions exist to advance the leader’s agenda, not to serve as a personal platform,” a former administration official told local media, reportedly expressing relief at the dismissal.

The incident occurred during a hearing at a religious museum in the capital, where Prejean Boller allegedly wore symbolic attire supporting a regional cause and engaged in tense exchanges with other participants. Observers noted that she had recently converted between Christian denominations and invoked her new faith in comments rejecting certain political movements during the hearing.

“I am a Catholic, and Catholics don’t embrace Zionism,” she reportedly stated, according to sources present at the hearing.

The remarks drew swift criticism from established religious organizations. The president of a prominent Catholic advocacy group published an opinion piece calling for her removal, emphasizing that she did not represent the broader Catholic community.

“For her to say, without qualification, that ‘Catholics do not embrace Zionism,’ is presumptuous and arrogant,” the religious leader reportedly wrote, noting that millions of Catholics recognize the nation of Israel’s right to exist.

Another religious organization leader described her “claim that Catholics are against Jews as absurd,” calling it “a modern, internet-based error” that contradicts centuries of religious teaching.

During the hearing, Prejean Boller allegedly engaged in heated exchanges with other participants, including a former university student who had sued his institution over its response to antisemitism. She reportedly questioned participants about their positions on regional conflicts and defended controversial commentators when pressed about their statements.

Conservative factions and social media commentators celebrated her dismissal while condemning her remarks. A senior lawmaker from the southern region described her actions as “just sad,” suggesting she had been “deluded” by extremist ideologies.

The commission chair claimed he personally made the decision to remove her, though Prejean Boller disputed this on social media, arguing that only the head of state had such authority. “You lack authority to remove me from it,” she reportedly wrote, claiming the action represented “a gross overstepping” aligned with political frameworks that “hijacked the hearing.”

A senior lawmaker later clarified on social media that “it was the leader who fired her,” according to posts reviewed by observers.

Prejean Boller has reportedly maintained her positions following the dismissal, stating she would “never bend the knee” to certain regional powers and rejecting what she characterized as religious manipulation regarding foreign policy positions.

The Religious Liberty Commission was established earlier this year through an executive order directing government departments to support the newly formed body focused on upholding federal laws protecting religious freedom and citizen participation in the nation’s democratic system.

This incident reflects ongoing tensions within the country’s political landscape regarding religious liberty, foreign policy positions, and the boundaries of acceptable discourse in government advisory roles. Political analysts note that such controversies often highlight deeper divisions within the ruling coalition regarding international relationships and domestic religious politics.

The administration has not provided additional comment on the matter, and attempts to reach Prejean Boller for response were reportedly unsuccessful.