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Republican Representative Nancy Mace, who has recently hinted at a potential run for governor of South Carolina, on Monday night accused her former fiancé and three other men of drugging and raping her and other women. She further alleged that they had filmed and taken lewd photographs of women and underage girls without their consent.
In an unprecedented, graphic speech on the House floor, Mace named the men and displayed their photographs on a placard—where lawmakers typically showcase policy charts and graphs—as she accused them of engaging in the premeditated and calculated exploitation of innocent women and girls in her district.
She stated that the men had condemned themselves to hell, describing it as a one-way journey with no connections, where she and all their victims would be able to witness their eternal suffering. Her speech lasted nearly an hour.
Mace made these allegations while speaking under the speech and debate clause, which grants lawmakers immunity from criminal prosecution or civil lawsuits when acting within the legislative sphere.
Former fiancé denies allegations
Shortly after her speech, Patrick Bryant, the former fiancé she accused by name, issued a statement denying all allegations. He said he categorically rejected the claims and emphasised that he took the matter seriously, pledging full cooperation with any necessary legal proceedings to clear his name.
Mace has previously spoken about her personal trauma, making it a key part of her political identity. She has shared experiences of being molested at a swimming pool when she was 14, which led her to blame herself for wearing a two-piece swimsuit. She has also spoken about being raped at 16, which caused her to drop out of high school before turning her life around and becoming the first woman to graduate from the Citadel, South Carolina’s military college.
Mace’s political positioning
While positioning herself as a strong advocate for women’s rights, Mace has also been an unwavering supporter of Donald Trump, who has been found liable for sexual abuse. She has also backed a cabinet member who has faced sexual assault allegations, which he has denied.
Recently, Mace has actively promoted a campaign to ban transgender individuals from using women’s restrooms and changing rooms in the Capitol complex.
She has also made it clear that she is interested in running for governor. Another potential contender, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, was a target of her speech, as Mace accused him of being ineffective and claimed he treated women who came forward as criminals.
She stated that over the past year, after turning over everything to law enforcement, she was told that, as a victim, she would be investigated.
Attorney General's office denies knowledge of allegations
A spokesperson for Wilson, Jaqueline Lane, refuted Mace’s accusations, calling them categorically false and politically motivated.
Lane stated that their office had not received any reports or requests for assistance from law enforcement or prosecution agencies regarding these matters. She also said that neither Wilson nor his office had any prior knowledge of Mace’s claims before her speech.
She noted that despite multiple encounters between Mace and Wilson in recent months, and despite Mace having Wilson’s personal phone number, she never approached or contacted him about her allegations.
Shocking accusations of hidden videos and assault
During her speech, Mace claimed that on her last night with Bryant, he physically assaulted her, leaving a permanent mark on her body. Prior to that, she alleged she had found dozens of compromising photos of underage girls on his phone, along with over 10,000 videos documenting the assault of incapacitated women and surreptitious recordings of women.
She said she was horrified when she zoomed in on one of the videos and discovered that she had been filmed nude without her consent.
Her speech was delivered in a mostly empty chamber after House votes, but three female Republican lawmakers—Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, and Victoria Spartz of Indiana—sat behind her in a show of solidarity.
