Miss North Carolina winner who was stripped of her title plans to legally challenge the 'unjustified' decision

Lawyers representing the former Miss North Carolina USA winner who was stripped of her title have announced she's planning to legally challenge the decision, while hitting out at 'shameful cancel culture.'

Brittany Boltinhouse, 27, won the contest last month and was set to compete at the national beauty pageant on August 27. 

However, last week, her title was revoked by the event's organizers, who cited 'recently surfaced information;' the runner-up Myla Hadley will take her crown and place at the competition. 

They did not specify what they were referring to, however, a screenshot circulated on X that shows posts from an account believed to have belonged to Boltinhouse referencing the N-word in 2017 and 2019. The Daily Mail could not verify the posts or whether the model wrote them. 

Afterwards, the pageant queen hit back, claiming that her revocation was not due to the alleged posts but rather because of her political beliefs.

Now, it has been revealed that Boltinhouse will legally challenge what her lawyers described as a 'wrongful and unjustified' decision.

In a press release shared on Monday, North Carolina law firm Mincey Bell Rhoades said it was 'conducting a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the removal of Brittany's crown.'

'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,' her lawyer, Patrick Mincey, said.

He promised that 'the truth shall be revealed' and claimed that their investigation had already 'uncovered evidence, including recorded statements, that show pageant officials admitting the absence of any legitimate or legal basis for their decision to take Brittany's crown.'

'We intend to show the public the full extent of the misconduct that led to this indefensible action,' he went on.

'The evidence already confirms that Brittany has been targeted because of her deeply held Christian faith and her publicly expressed conservative political views. 

'Such discrimination has no place in any organization that claims to champion fairness, opportunity and empowerment.'

Mincey also alleged that the pageant organizers 'have persistently refused to identify any specific conduct that would justify stripping Brittany of her title.'

'Their unwillingness to cite concrete facts or violations speaks for itself,' he added. 'Due process, fairness and transparency have been conspicuously tossed aside. We will hold them to account.'

He branded the pageant's conduct as 'indefensible,' concluding the lengthy statement with: 'The truth and evidence will be revealed in a court of law. 

'Our client earned her crown and the respect of millions who support her. Brittany Boltinhouse will not be canceled.'

Blaize Productions, which serves as the executive producer and state license holder for the official Miss USA pageants in North Carolina, said in the initial announcement that the decision to revoke her title 'was not made lightly.' 

'It followed a thorough review of recently surfaced information and was based on the totality of the circumstances and our responsibility to preserve the integrity of the Miss North Carolina USA title and the values of our organization,' a spokesman added on Instagram. 

The production company went on to thank Boltinhouse for the 'time, dedication and commitment she gave throughout the process' and said it wishes her 'nothing but the very best as she moves forward.' 

The Daily Mail has reached out to Blaize Productions and Miss USA for comment. 

Thom Brodeur, the chairman of Miss USA, also addressed the news when it was first revealed last week in a lengthy Instagram message, explaining that the organization 'does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia nor language that strips any person of their dignity.'

'A title here isn't a trinket. It is a position of trust, extended by an organization and accepted by a woman who agrees to carry a standard in public,' he added.

'When that standard is broken, the title cannot continue as though nothing happened.'

He said that the decision didn't come down to a 'single moment,' but rather 'conduct over an extended period of time.'

'What was brought to us was not a single moment, it reflected conduct over an extended period of time. That is why this outcome was reached and I stand behind it without qualification,' he continued.

'State titleholders are recruited, vetted and approved for competition at the state level. We acted as soon as this reached us.'

He also urged people to be kind to Boltinhouse, stating: 'There is a young woman at the center of this.

'She has been named, examined and judged in public in a way that most of us would not survive, and she is still a human being with a family, a future and a life ahead of her that is longer than this part of her journey.

'I will not run an organization that pretends otherwise. I have never believed that accountability requires cruelty, or that holding a line means enjoying the fall of the person who crossed it.

'Zero tolerance is a standard for conduct. It is not permission to strip someone of their humanity - which is, after all, precisely the thing we are holding her accountable for doing to others.'

He ended the note by 'wishing Brittany well' and giving his 'full confidence and support' to her replacement.

Afterwards, Boltinhouse told Carolina Journal that she believes she was ousted from the pageant due to her 'belief system as a conservative Christian woman.'

Boltinhouse explained that she was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as the Mormon religion. 

She touted herself as a 'proud conservative' and 'God-fearing' woman, adding: 'I also love this country. That's something I want to make clear.' 

When asked about the alleged racist posts, Boltinhouse did not confirm whether they were posted by her, but said that 'every teenager has made a mistake.' 

'Every person has made a mistake. But I'm not really here to talk about that. I'm here to talk about the woman I am today,' she explained.

She continued that despite what happened 'decades ago,' Boltinhouse believes she is a 'hardworking woman' who won her titles fair and square. 

The pageant queen cited her Miss Congeniality award, which is given to a contestant based on their character. 

'I'm also the first married woman who had that title, and that's something that I'm proud of,' she continued.

'I won't be judged for my past and I won't be judged at all because I am the woman I am today.'

Boltinhouse reflected on her short-lived pageant career, having just started competing last year.

She explained that her experience with Miss USA went from a 'dream to a nightmare' after the allegations surfaced.

Despite the media firestorm, Boltinhouse said she was glad the controversy happened to her, boasting that she could handle the scrutiny and had made peace with her unwanted departure from pageantry.

When discussing the pageant executives who stripped her of her title, Boltinhouse said: 'I show a lot of grace and a lot of love to those people because I know they make mistakes too.

'I understand that they might not have the wisdom and knowledge that I do, but I forgive them.'

Boltinhouse refused to elaborate on the events that transpired before her title was stripped, citing a confidentiality clause, but reiterated that the narrative against her was untrue.