An Illinois resident named James McIntyre, 33, was taken into custody on Tuesday night, accused of assaulting Republican Rep. Nancy Mace on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Capitol Police reported that McIntyre faces charges of assaulting a government official.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace assaulted
The incident allegedly occurred within the Rayburn House Office Building, which was open to the public at the time. McIntyre had gone through security screening prior to the encounter.
Capitol Police were alerted to the situation after Mace’s congressional office filed a report.
Investigators tracked down McIntyre, questioned him, and subsequently made the arrest.
Journalist Andy Ngo, citing a source familiar with the events, claimed McIntyre took a hold of the lawmaker’s hand “aggressively, tightened his grip, and shook her around by the arm.”
The same day, Mace took to social media to report that she had been “physically accosted” on Capitol grounds.
She mentioned needing a wrist brace and ice for her arm but reassured followers she was fine.
Mace speculated the incident might have been related to her stance on transgender issues, though police did not officially confirm any motives.
Posting online, she wrote, “Your tr*ns violence and threats on my life will only make me double down. FAFO. #HoldTheLine.”
She added, “All the violence and threats keep proving our point. Women deserve to be safe.”
She updated followers the next morning, sharing she was in pain and experiencing soreness from the altercation.
Additionally, she revealed that President-elect Donald Trump had reached out to check on her well-being, remarking that Inauguration Day “can’t come soon enough.”
Attack may stem from new legislation
This controversy comes after Mace recently introduced legislation aimed at changing Capitol Hill’s rules to block transgender women from accessing women’s restrooms and facilities.
The proposal coincided with the upcoming swearing-in of the House’s first openly transgender member. House Speaker Mike Johnson implemented the restroom prohibition on November 20.
Mace told Fox News that the backlash from her proposal had reached troubling levels. “They’re threatening to kill me now because I, as a woman, am standing up to protect other women from men being in our private spaces.”
She remained resolute, stating, “I will not be bullied into silence. I will not back down. In fact, I’m going to double down on this. I’m going to file even more legislation to protect women beyond the Capitol, across every state in the nation.”
Referencing her own experiences, Mace added, “I have PTSD from the trauma that I have endured at the hands of a man,” she told the outlet. “I’m absolutely going to stand in the way solidly of any guy that wants to come into our spaces.”
However, the incident is not without conflicting accounts. Several witnesses have publicly disputed Mace’s claims of assault, with some asserting that McIntyre merely engaged in a routine handshake and expressed support for transgender youth.
Elliott Hinkle, an LGBTQ advocate and former foster youth, told The Imprint, “From what I saw, it was a normal handshake and interaction that I would expect any legislator to expect from anyone as a constituent.”
Hinkle added that after the handshake, a member of Mace’s team returned to the gathering, seeking more details from McIntyre about his exchange with the congresswoman. Two other witnesses also supported Hinkle’s description of the interaction.
Police later requested that McIntyre return to the Rayburn Building, where officers arrested him after conducting further inquiries.
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace disputes witness accounts
The arrest report documented Mace’s statement, which offered a more dramatic interpretation of events.
According to the police account, “The victim [Mace] offered their right hand to the individual to shake hands, and upon their hands coming together, the individual placed their other hand on top of the victim’s hand in a clasping manner so that the victim’s hand was between both of the subject’s hands.”
The report continued, “The victim stated that the subject began to aggressively and in an exaggerated manner shake her arm up and down in a handshaking motion. The effect of the motion was described as her arm flailing for about 3-5 seconds.”
Mace claimed she attempted to break away from McIntyre’s grip during the encounter. The report notes her account that McIntyre allegedly declared, “trans youth deserve advocacy,” during the course of the interaction.
Gabrielle Lipsky, Mace’s spokesperson, addressed the matter on Wednesday, stating that the office is constrained in what details can be shared beyond what Capitol Police have released.
“The congresswoman is in pain this morning, with her arm in a sling, but she’s otherwise doing well – just shaken up,” Lipsky said.
Adding to the controversy, Lipsky noted, “What’s even more disheartening is watching the Left and their media allies deny this even happened, propping up misogyny instead of condemning violence.”
Mace herself doubled down on social media, dismissing claims that the encounter was harmless.
“This guy was easily 3x my size by weight. And he’s a grown man. Stop making excuses for assaults on women,” she tweeted. “This is what the Left does to women.”
