Attorneys for Brittany Boltinhouse, the former Miss North Carolina USA who was stripped of her title, announced plans to legally challenge the decision, which they described as "wrongful and unjustified." The lawyers also criticized what they termed "shameful cancel culture."
Boltinhouse, 27, won the state pageant last month and was slated to compete in the national Miss USA pageant on August 27. Organizers revoked her title last week, citing "recently surfaced information," with the runner-up, Myla Hadley, set to take her place. Specific details about this information were not provided, although a screenshot circulating online, which could not be independently verified by the Daily Mail, showed posts from an account believed to be Boltinhouse's that referenced the N-word in 2017 and 2019.
Boltinhouse, however, claims the revocation was not due to alleged past posts but rather her political and religious beliefs. Her legal team, Mincey Bell Rhoades, stated they are conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disqualification.
"Our objective is simple: To uncover and present the full truth behind yet another disturbing example of shameful cancel culture targeting an accomplished young woman solely because of her deeply held religious and political beliefs," said attorney Patrick Mincey in a press release. He added that their investigation has uncovered evidence, including recorded statements, that he claims show pageant officials admitting there was no legitimate basis for revoking Boltinhouse's crown.
"We intend to show the public the full extent of the misconduct that led to this indefensible action," Mincey stated, asserting that evidence confirms Boltinhouse was targeted for her "deeply held Christian faith and her publicly expressed conservative political views." He further alleged that pageant organizers have refused to identify specific conduct that would justify revoking her title, calling their unwillingness to cite concrete facts a sign that "due process, fairness and transparency have been conspicuously tossed aside."
Blaize Productions, the executive producer and state license holder for the Miss North Carolina USA pageants, stated the decision was not made lightly and followed a review of "recently surfaced information" and a responsibility to preserve the title's integrity and the organization's values. Thom Brodeur, chairman of Miss USA, emphasized that the organization "does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia nor language that strips any person of their dignity." He noted that the decision was based on "conduct over an extended period of time" rather than a single incident.
Boltinhouse told Carolina Journal that she believes her conservative Christian beliefs led to her disqualification. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, she described herself as a "proud conservative" and "God-fearing" woman who also loves her country. Regarding the alleged racist posts, Boltinhouse acknowledged that "every teenager has made a mistake" but stated she was focused on the woman she is today.
She maintained that she won her titles fairly, citing her Miss Congeniality award and being the first married woman to hold the Miss North Carolina USA title. Despite the controversy, Boltinhouse expressed forgiveness for the pageant executives, stating she understands they may also make mistakes. She declined to elaborate further on the events preceding her title revocation due to a confidentiality clause but reiterated that the narrative against her was untrue.
