Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) made a collection of allegations of sexual abuse, rape and voyeurism perpetrated towards herself and different ladies by a bunch of 4 males in a private — and extremely uncommon — speech on the Home flooring Monday night.
Mace, who has served within the Home since 2021, spoke for practically an hour within the decrease chamber, accusing 4 South Carolina males of being “predators” and displaying their names and pictures on a poster board on the Home flooring.
“You may have purchased your self a one-way ticket to hell. It’s nonstop, there aren’t any connections, so I and all of your victims can watch you rot in eternity,” Mace stated on the Home flooring, in a speech that she stated she titled “Iron Sharpens Iron.”
She made quite a few particular allegations, like discovering 1000’s of intimate pictures and movies of girls and underage ladies that have been captured with out their consent. Mace additionally stated she was raped herself after blacking out one evening, and believes she was “purposefully incapacitated.”
Mace pulled out props all through the remarks, together with handcuffs — “if anybody want to arrest me for standing up for ladies, listed here are my wrists” — a glass to indicate the scale of the 2 drinks she had the evening she says she blacked out, and a digital camera she stated was hidden on the property owned by two of the alleged assailants.
Mace additionally went into additional graphic element, however The Hill has not independently verified the allegations. Whereas Mace stated she has proof to again up her claims, she has not but offered it.
The South Carolina Legislation Enforcement Division (SLED) confirmed on Monday that it had opened an investigation into one of many males Mace named in December of 2023, shortly after Mace stated she found the abuse, after being contacted by U.S. Capitol Police.
“Since that date SLED has carried out a number of interviews, served a number of search warrants, and has a well-documented case file that will probably be accessible for launch upon the conclusion of the case,” the division added.
No felony expenses have been filed, and a few of the males denied the allegations in statements to The Hill and stated they have been contemplating authorized motion.
A provision of the Structure often called the “speech or debate clause” provides members of Congress broad safety from prosecution for what they are saying whereas performing legislative duties.
A press launch from Mace in regards to the speech referenced that safety, however defended the veracity of her allegations: “Any and all statements made by Members on the Home Flooring are quintessential ‘legislative acts,’ and guarded by the Speech and Debate clause afforded underneath the Structure of the US. Her statements tonight usually are not conjecture, they don’t seem to be allegations, they’re info based mostly on info she uncovered and paperwork she unintentionally found.”
Mace additionally spent a good portion of her speech criticizing South Carolina Lawyer Normal Alan Wilson (R), who she stated didn’t do sufficient to analyze and prosecute the alleged crimes.
Each Mace and Wilson are contemplating working for governor of South Carolina in 2026.
The South Carolina Lawyer Normal’s workplace issued an announcement after Mace’s speech that referred to as her remarks “categorically false,” denying that the entity has acquired any stories concerning the issues she outlined.
“Ms. Mace both doesn’t perceive or is purposefully mischaracterizing the function of the Lawyer Normal,” the workplace wrote. “Right now, our workplace has not acquired any stories or requests for help from any regulation enforcement or prosecution companies concerning these issues. Moreover, the Lawyer Normal and members of his workplace have had no function and no data of those allegations till her public statements.”
“It’s clear that Lawyer Normal Alan Wilson has constructed his profession on defending probably the most weak in our state; any assertion in any other case is blatantly false and politically motivated,” the workplace added.
The speech made for a slightly unusual scene within the Home chamber, the place remarks are sometimes made to debate laws, honor constituents or touch upon present occasions. She delivered the speech after votes Monday night, when the chamber was largely empty.
Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) sat behind Mace for everything of her remarks, joined by Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) and a handful of staffers for components all through. Mace additionally stated her mom and survivors of sexual assault have been current within the gallery.
At one level, Mace positioned a pink sticker that stated “survivor” on her chest, which she stated her workers had made. The congresswoman handed stickers to Boebert, Burchett and Luna, who put them on as properly. People watching the speech from the gallery additionally placed on the stickers.
Mace has made pushing again on rape and sexual abuse a key a part of her political id, invoking her private experiences whereas doing so. Mace has lengthy talked about being raped as a teen whereas advocating for exceptions to anti-abortion laws.
And up to now a number of months, Mace has been very vocal about advocating towards transgender ladies being allowed in ladies’s restrooms — taking direct goal on the first brazenly transgender member of Congress, Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), who was elected final yr. In her speech Monday, she included a number of payments aimed toward transgender ladies in an inventory of measure she stated have been aimed toward defending ladies and ladies.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This materials is probably not printed, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Source link