US Representative Nancy Mace has accused her ex-fiancé and associates of physically abusing her and raping others in a nearly hour-long speech on the US House floor. The accusations include non-consensual photos and videos of women and underage girls, as well as premeditated exploitation of women and girls.
Mace claims she was unable to get an investigation by South Carolina’s top prosecutor to take action despite alerting investigators. She mentioned four men involved, including businessman Patrick Bryant, who was her fiancé until 2023. The State Law Enforcement Division has opened an investigation into Bryant on allegations of assault, harassment, and voyeurism.
In a statement, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office called Mace’s comments regarding the prosecutor’s conduct “categorically false”. However, Mace said she was going “scorched earth” in her speech, detailing how she uncovered heinous crimes against women. Several Republican lawmakers showed support for her during the speech.
Mace is a former South Carolina state House member who became the first woman to graduate from The Citadel and later the first Republican woman elected to represent South Carolina in Congress. Her decision to air the allegations in a floor speech was unusual, but she emphasized that her statements are protected under the “speech or debate” clause.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/nancy-mace-south-carolina-7d831f415ae00d703e30fa6c701f18de