Dethroned Miss NC Brittany Boltinhouse to take 'legal action' against pageant organizers, attorney says
Former Miss North Carolina USA Brittany Boltinhouse, who lost her title amid allegations of "racism" and "homophobia," is expected to take "legal action" against the pageant organizers, her attorney announced on Monday.
North Carolina attorney Patrick Mincey posted a video on Instagram, announcing that he is representing Boltinhouse, claiming she was "targeted because of her Christian faith and conservative political views."
Boltinhouse lost her title weeks before the Miss USA national competition, which is scheduled for Aug. 24-27.
In announcing the decision to dethrone Boltinhouse, Miss USA condemned "racism, homophobia and transphobia," citing "conduct" over years that violated its policies.
She was replaced by runner-up Myla Hadley.
Mincey said that his firm is representing Boltinhouse "in connection with anticipated legal action," and claimed that her dethroning was "wrongful and unjustified."
It is unclear if the expected legal action will be taken against Miss USA or state pageant organizer A Blaize Productions.
ABC News has reached out to both organizations as well as Mincey and Boltinhouse, but requests for comment were not immediately returned.
The attorney's announcement of upcoming "legal action," comes after Boltinhouse reflected on losing the title in an interview with the Carolina Journal, which published on Friday.
In the interview, Boltinhouse claimed that her title was "ripped" from her due to her "conservative Christian" beliefs.
Asked if there is room for conservatives in Miss USA and if her support for President Donald Trump could have led to her losing the title, Boltinhouse told Carolina Journal, "I don't know."
She indicated to the journal that she signed an NDA so she can't share everything, but added, "I think and believe that my title was ripped from me because of my beliefs."
Thom Brodeur, the chairman and CEO of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA who announced the decision to dethrone Boltinhouse on Aug. 5, did not specify the alleged conduct, but wrote in a statement that, it "was not a single moment," but "conduct over an extended period of time" that does not reflect the standards of the Miss USA organization.
"The Miss USA organization does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia, nor language that strips any person of their dignity, whoever they are," he wrote.
"A title here isn't a trinket. It's a position of trust extended by an organization and accepted by a woman who agrees to carry a standard in public," he added.
A Blaize Productions, a production house and pageant organization that manages and oversees preliminary competitions for Miss USA and Miss Teen USA in North Carolina and other states, said in a statement to ABC News on Aug. 6 that the decision to strip Boltinhouse of 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," the company said.
Mincey said that his firm is investigating the circumstances that led to Boltinhouse losing her title.
"Brittany Boltinhouse earned her crown. She earned the respect and admiration of millions who support her. And one thing is certain: Brittany Boltinhouse will not be canceled," he said.
Miss USA is a different organization from Miss America, and each hold their own separate competitions.
ABC News Synai Ferrell contributed to this report.
