Nancy Mace, the South Carolina Republican congresswoman who moonlights as a crusader against transgender bathroom rights, says she was “assaulted” Tuesday evening at the Rayburn House Office Building. But what actually happened?
An Illinois man allegedly shook her hand. Aggressively.
James McIntyre, 33, of Chicago, was arrested by Capitol Police for a handshake gone very wrong, leading to a misdemeanor assault charge.
McIntyre pleaded not guilty in a Wednesday hearing and was promptly released under conditions that he stay 100 yards away from Mace, avoid communication with her, and — perhaps the cherry on top — leave Washington, D.C., entirely.
Meanwhile, Mace, ever eager to turn political theater into a headline, described the interaction like she had survived the handshake equivalent of a WWE match.
A “Handshake Assault” Turns Political
The “incident” went down around 6 p.m. Tuesday when McIntyre, reportedly a man with no weapons or malicious intent, approached Mace in a public building, extended his hand, and delivered what witnesses described as an “exaggerated, aggressive handshaking motion.”
In court documents, Mace said her arm flailed “for about three to five seconds” as she attempted to pull away. McIntyre allegedly used those precious seconds to deliver a message: “Trans youth deserve advocacy.”
Mace later reported pain in her wrists, arm, and shoulder, but notably declined treatment from paramedics at the scene. Instead, she opted for a brace, ice, and a social media post for maximum dramatic effect.
“I was physically accosted at the Capitol tonight by a pro-tr*ns man,” she posted on X, milking her moment of victimhood while not-so-subtly inserting her disdain for transgender rights.
To clarify: No punches were thrown. No weapons were brandished. But a handshake? Well, Nancy Mace would have you believe that was tantamount to an attack on democracy itself.
A Tale of Restrooms, Braces, and Political Meltdowns
If you’re wondering why McIntyre felt compelled to confront Mace, look no further than her recent legislative obsession: banning transgender individuals from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity in the Capitol complex.
Mace’s bill — a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist — emerged right before Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress, is set to take office. Convenient timing, no?
Mace, however, maintains that she’s simply protecting women (who apparently need saving from the horrors of public restrooms).
This bill and its rhetoric have ignited protests, backlash, and, evidently, one very intense handshake. But Mace didn’t stop there.
On Wednesday, she pivoted to blaming the media for their coverage. “Maybe when the Left said ‘believe all women,’ they really meant men who claim to be women,” she posted, leaning further into transphobic nonsense.
Naturally, her comments were met with a mix of applause from her supporters and exhausted groans from anyone tired of the “let’s punch down on vulnerable people for votes” playbook.
President-elect Donald Trump reportedly called Mace to offer his support, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., cut through the noise to state the obvious:
“No member of Congress should be accosted or assaulted or attacked based on their political beliefs.”
Fair point. But was this assault? Or was this a bad handshake turned political theater?
Court Orders and Next Steps
Meanwhile, back in the real world, McIntyre’s day in court is scheduled for Jan. 27.
The magistrate judge ordered his release with clear instructions: avoid Nancy Mace like the plague and stay out of D.C.
Efforts to reach McIntyre’s attorney have so far been unsuccessful, but the message he allegedly shared with Mace — advocating for trans youth — speaks volumes, even if the delivery was, shall we say, poorly timed.
As for Mace, her arm brace now doubles as a prop for her latest attempt at political martyrdom.
If there’s one thing she can do well, it’s turn a handshake into a headline and a bathroom bill into a crusade.
In the end, Tuesday’s incident wasn’t an attack on democracy, as Mace would have you believe. It was a clumsy confrontation — an ill-advised attempt to make a point — that’s now fueling the congresswoman’s anti-trans agenda.
And while McIntyre will have his day in court, Mace will no doubt milk this moment for all it’s worth, one X post at a time.
Let’s hope her wrist heals quickly.
Isnt this the lady that faked her house being spraypainted?
what an absolute moron Mace is, she is a waste of space and a waste on tax payer money.