Nancy Mace Goes ‘Scorched Earth’ on Congress Floor, Accuses Ex-Fiancé and Associates of Sexual Crimes

Congresswoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina took the house floor on Monday evening to go “scorched earth” with a series of stunning accusations against her ex-fiancé and others, saying she is a victim of sexual and physical abuse.Ms. Mace, who has served in the House since 2021, spoke for nearly an hour in which she detailed her allegations against four men from her district at the Charleston area, including businessman Patrick Bryant, with whom she was engaged to until 2023 and claimed that he had physically abused her and recorded sex acts without her knowledge and had conspired with others to commit rape and other acts of sexual misconduct on other women.“I rise today to call out the cowards who think they can prey on women and get away with it. Today, I’m going scorched earth. So let the bridges I burn this evening light our way forward,” she said in a speech she titled, “Iron Sharpens Iron.”Ms. Mace, who is expected to run for South Carolina Governor in 2026, spent 50 minutes providing graphic details of her allegations against the four men, saying that in November of 2023, Mr. Bryant gave her access to his phone and she found videos of “incapacitated” women being raped.“[I] accidentally uncovered some of the most heinous crimes against women imaginable,” she said.“We’re 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.”She also expressed her shock that one of the women in the videos was herself.“I turned up the volume to hear if there was audio. I heard my voice. I zoomed in on the video. And that woman was me,” Ms. Mace said. “My entire body was paralyzed, and I couldn’t move. Were my feet on the floor? Was I breathing? I have no idea.”Ms. Mace also made use of props during her speech on the lower chamber floor, including a glass to show the size of the two drinks she had the night she claims she blacked out, a camera that was similar to one that was hidden at the property of one of the alleged assailants, and a pair of handcuffs.“If anyone would like to arrest me for standing up for women, here are my wrists,” she said.The congresswoman also set her sights on Attorney General Alan Wilson of South Carolina, accusing him of “deliberate delays” in investigating the claims and failing to indict Mr. Bryant or the other men despite being provided, “clear cut and dry evidence.”In a statement released by the Attorney General’s office, a spokesman for Mr. Wilson, who is also expected to run for Governor in 2026, called the allegations false.“Ms. Mace either does not understand or is purposefully mischaracterizing the role of the Attorney General,” Robert Kittle said in a statement. “Additionally, the Attorney General and members of his office have had no role and no knowledge of these allegations until her public statements.”The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirmed on Monday that they have opened an investigation on the allegations against Mr. Bryant.“SLED opened an investigation regarding allegations of assault, harassment, and voyeurism on Dec. 14, 2023, after being contacted by the United States Capitol Police,” SLED spokeswoman Renee Wunderlich said in a statement to WCSC 5. “Since that date SLED has conducted multiple interviews, served multiple search warrants, and has a well-documented case file that will be available for release upon the conclusion of the case.”Mr. Bryant, who is the chief executive of a software development firm and a former chairman of the Charleston Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, quickly denied the allegations in a statement released after Ms. Mace’s speech.“I categorically deny these allegations. I take this matter seriously and will cooperate fully with any necessary legal processes to clear my name.”

Nancy Mace Goes ‘Scorched Earth’ on Congress Floor, Accuses Ex-Fiancé and Associates of Sexual Crimes

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