Former Miss NC USA Brittany Boltinhouse files suit against Miss USA

Brittany Boltinhouse, who had her 2026 Miss North Carolina USA title stripped away, has filed a lawsuit against Miss USA, its CEO Thom Brodeur, A Blaize Productions, and Ariana and Nic Blaize.

The lawsuit does not challenge the pageant organizations’ legal authority to strip Boltinhouse of her crown. Instead, it centers on what she alleges happened afterward.

The lawsuit alleges the defendants coordinated a public campaign portraying her as a “racist, homophobe, transphobe, and intolerable bigot,” after social-media posts from 2017 and 2019 resurfaced showing her using a racial slang term as a teenager. The suit also claims the defendants falsely represented that she had admitted wrongdoing and apologized, despite her rejecting a proposed statement prepared for her.

The complaint alleges the defendants coordinated their response and used official Miss North Carolina USA and Miss USA social-media channels, knowing the allegations would generate widespread media coverage and damage Boltinhouse’s reputation.

The lawsuit includes claims for defamation and civil conspiracy to defame, alleging the defendants agreed to remove her title and coordinate statements portraying her as racist, homophobic, transphobic and a bigot. Boltinhouse is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, alleging the conduct was malicious, willful, and coordinated.

The attorney representing Boltinhouse had previously stated his firm was preparing for legal action over the decision to strip her of her 2026 title, alleging that Boltinhouse was targeted because of her religious beliefs and conservative political views. 

Patrick Mincey, an attorney with Mincey Bell Rhoades LLP, announced in a video that his firm was retained to conduct what he described as a “comprehensive investigation” into the circumstances surrounding Boltinhouse’s removal. 

“Our firm, Mincey Bell Rhoades, is honored to represent Brittany in connection with anticipated legal action arising from the wrongful and unjustified stripping of the Miss North Carolina USA 2026 title,” Mincey said. 

Boltinhouse, was crowned Miss North Carolina USA in June. She was stripped of the title in early August, losing both the crown and her opportunity to represent North Carolina at the 75th annual Miss USA pageant on Aug. 27 in Miami. 

The Miss USA Organization has said Boltinhouse failed to uphold its standards. 

In an exclusive interview with Carolina Journal, Boltinhouse said she believes her politics and religious beliefs contributed to her losing the crown. 

“As of today, I believe I was stripped of my title because of my political stance and my belief system as a conservative Christian woman,” Boltinhouse said. 

However, Boltinhouse noted that she did not know with certainty why the organization took action and could not discuss further details with Carolina Journal due to a confidentiality clause. 

Mincey is now making a stronger allegation, saying his firm’s investigation has uncovered evidence that Boltinhouse was targeted because of her beliefs. 

“Our investigation has already uncovered evidence, including recorded statements that show pageant officials acknowledging the absence of any legitimate or legal basis for their decision to strip Brittany of her title,” Mincey said. 

Mincey also alleged that the dispute represents “another troubling example of cancel culture” directed at Boltinhouse because of her religious convictions and political beliefs. 

“Brittany has been targeted because of her Christian faith and her conservative political views,” Mincey stated in the video. “No organization that claims to promote fairness, opportunity, and empowerment should discriminate against an individual because of her sincerely held beliefs.” 

“I’m proud of my faith, I’m proud of my standards, I’m a proud conservative woman, but Christian woman, a God-fearing woman,” Boltinhouse told Carolina Journal. 

“To this day, pageant organizers have not identified any specific conduct that would justify stripping Brittany of her crown,” Mincey said. “Their persistent refusal to cite concrete facts, rules, or violations speaks for itself. The pageant’s conduct is indefensible. The evidence will be revealed. The truth and facts will be presented in a court of law.” 

“Former Miss NC USA Brittany Boltinhouse files suit against Miss USA” was originally published on www.carolinajournal.com.