Brittany Boltinhouse isn’t backing down. The 27-year-old former Miss North Carolina USA has filed a defamation lawsuit against Miss USA organizers after being stripped of her crown in early August, claiming officials falsely portrayed her as a racist and bigot to destroy her reputation.
Five weeks after her crowning, pageant president Thom Brodeur announced on August 5 that Boltinhouse would lose her title following a review of resurfaced social media posts from 2017 to 2019. Those posts contained offensive language, including use of the N-word. But did the punishment fit the crime, or did organizers go too far?
According to the lawsuit filed Sunday, Boltinhouse’s legal team accuses A-Blaize Productions and Brodeur of “maliciously coordinating” to brand her with what attorney Patrick Mincey called “a scarlet letter.” The suit claims officials tried to manufacture a false confession from Boltinhouse and, when she refused, proceeded to incite an online mob against her. While the complaint acknowledges the problematic posts existed, it argues the pageant’s response crossed legal lines.
Neither Miss USA representatives nor A-Blaize Productions have responded to requests for comment. The case now moves to court, where Boltinhouse hopes to reclaim more than just a crown.
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