CHAPIN, S.C. (AP) 鈥 Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina on Monday used a nearly hour-long speech on the U.S. House floor to accuse her ex-fianc茅 of physically abusing her, recording sex acts with her and others without their consent, and conspiring with business associates in acts of rape and sexual misconduct.
Mace said she was speaking out because her home state鈥檚 top prosecutor didn鈥檛 take action even after she alerted investigators. That same prosecutor is likely to be Mace鈥檚 opponent of South Carolina in 2026, which she is considering.
Saying she was going 鈥渟corched earth,鈥 Mace detailed how, in November 2023, she says she 鈥渁ccidentally uncovered some of the most heinous crimes against women imaginable. We鈥檙e talking about rape, non-consensual photos, non-consensual videos of women and underage girls, and the premeditated, calculated exploitation of women and girls in my district.鈥
Mace mentioned four men as being involved, including Charleston-area businessman Patrick Bryant, who was her fianc茅 until 2023 and went door-to-door stumping for her during her 2022 reelection campaign.
The AP wasn鈥檛 able to independently verify Mace鈥檚 claims. Bryant told AP: 鈥淚 categorically deny these allegations. I take this matter seriously and will cooperate fully with any necessary legal processes to clear my name.鈥
Mace accused South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson of slow-walking any investigation of Bryant and the other men after she brought the photos and video to state authorities.
鈥淒id South Carolina鈥檚 attorney general have any of these predators indicted after being provided clear cut-and-dry evidence including video, photos and witnesses?鈥 Mace asked, noting that her office had set up a tip line for anyone with information on the allegations.
In a statement after Mace鈥檚 speech, Wilson鈥檚 office called her comments regarding the prosecutor鈥檚 conduct 鈥渃ategorically false鈥 and said the office 鈥渉as not received any reports or requests for assistance from any law enforcement or prosecution agencies regarding these matters.鈥
Mace, a former South Carolina state House member, was the first woman to graduate from The Citadel, the state鈥檚 military college, where her father then served as commandant of cadets. Briefly serving in the state House, in 2020 she became elected to represent South Carolina in Congress, flipping the 1st District after a single term with a Democratic representative.
Her decision to air the allegations in a floor speech was unusual. In a release, Mace stressed that members鈥 statements on the House floor 鈥渁re quintessential 鈥榣egislative acts鈥欌 and thereby protected by the 鈥渟peech or debate鈥 clause, which generally protects lawmakers from being sued for what they say.
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a story about bitter ex-girlfriends or consensual sex tapes 鈥 there are plenty of those. I don鈥檛 care what two consenting adults agree to do,鈥 Mace said. She mentioned a dozen bills on which she had worked in the House, on topics ranging from stopping voyeurism to banning transgender women from using women鈥檚 bathrooms at the U.S. Capitol or House office buildings.
In 2019, Mace spoke publicly for the first time about a sexual assault she said had occurred more than two decades earlier, addressing South Carolina legislative colleagues in advocating for adding a rape and incest exception to a state House ban on all abortions after detection of a fetal heartbeat.
On Monday, Mace said she was joined in the House gallery by several women she said had been victimized by Bryant and the other men. Among the Republican lawmakers who sat behind Mace during her speech to show their support were Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla.
鈥淣ancy Mace is our friend and we wanted to support her and give her the encouragement she needed to get that message out,鈥 Boebert said.
Mace, 47, in November and has said that she is 鈥渟eriously considering鈥 a 2026 run for South Carolina governor. If she enters that race, she will likely face Wilson 鈥 in his fourth term and also the son of Rep. Joe Wilson 鈥 in the Republican primary.
Mace , working for his 2016 campaign but levying criticism against him following the Jan. 6, 2021, violence at the U.S. Capitol, critique that spurred Trump to back a GOP challenger in her 2022 race. Mace defeated that opponent, won reelection and was endorsed by Trump in her 2024 campaign.
Mace declined additional comment to reporters in the Capitol after the speech. Asked how she felt now, she said: 鈥淚鈥檓 at peace.鈥
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Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking contributed.
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Kinnard can be reached at .
