Rep. Nancy Mace (R., S.C.) on Monday delivered an explosive speech on the House floor, alleging that her former fiancé and three business associates engaged in sexual crimes, including rape, voyeurism, and nonconsensual recordings of women and underage girls. She also accused South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson of deliberately stalling an investigation into the matter.
"I accidentally uncovered some of the most heinous crimes against women imaginable," Mace said. "We are talking about rape, nonconsensual photos, nonconsensual videos of women and underage girls, and the premeditated, calculated exploitation of women and girls in my district."
The congresswoman claimed she discovered over 10,000 videos and images on the phone of her former fiancé, Patrick Bryant, in November 2023. She alleged that the files contained evidence of sexual abuse against female employees, spouses of business associates, and at least one underage girl.
Attorney General Denies Allegations of Delays
Mace accused Attorney General Wilson of failing to act on the evidence she provided. "Two hundred and twenty-eight days of delay. That's seven months, two weeks and four days of delay to investigate," she said.
Wilson's office refuted Mace's claims, stating in a post on X: "Ms. Mace either does not understand or is purposefully mischaracterizing the role of the Attorney General." The statement added that Wilson's office had not received any reports or requests for assistance regarding the allegations.
The office also suggested that Mace, who has attended events with Wilson and has his personal cell number, had not contacted him regarding the matter. "Not once has she approached or reached out to him regarding any of her concerns," the statement read.
Bryant and Business Partners Deny Allegations
Bryant, whom Mace was engaged to before their split last year, denied the accusations. "I categorically deny these allegations," he said in a statement to The New York Times. "I take this matter seriously and will cooperate fully with any necessary legal processes to clear my name."
Brian Musgrave, another individual named by Mace, also dismissed the claims. "Nancy Mace's statement tonight is a dangerous mix of falsehoods and baseless accusations, recklessly leveled at four individuals without a shred of evidence," he told The New York Post.
John Osborne and Eric Bowman, two other men implicated in Mace's speech, did not respond to requests for comment.
Mace Details Alleged Crimes and Intimidation Attempts
Mace claimed that in one instance, she discovered a video of a woman being raped while incapacitated. "I had to tell a woman that she'd been raped, and she didn't even know it," Mace said. "The two of them, the three of them business partners, the two of them had their phones out just like this. Filming her as she was being raped."
She also alleged that one of Bryant's business associates attempted to intimidate her into silence and criticized Wilson for not investigating the matter as witness intimidation.
Mace, 47, described how she initially discovered the videos after accessing Bryant's phone in October 2023, when she stumbled upon a video of herself "undressed" and unaware she was being recorded. "I turned up the volume to hear if there was audio. I heard my voice. I zoomed in on the video. The woman was me," she said.
Following the discovery, Mace alleged that Bryant assaulted her, forcing her into hiding and moving four times in a year. "I still have the mark Patrick Bryant made on me," she said. "Rather than see this mark as a scar, I see this scar as the mark of a free woman-free from a monster."
Potential Political Implications
Mace's public accusations come as she considers a bid for South Carolina governor in 2026, a race in which Wilson is expected to be a leading opponent. The timing of her allegations has drawn scrutiny, with critics questioning whether her speech was politically motivated.
She defended her actions, stating, "This isn't a story about bitter ex-girlfriends... or consensual sex tapes. This is a story about predators who hunt women for sport."
Mace cited legislation she has introduced to combat sex crimes, including the Sue VOYEURS Act, which seeks to prosecute individuals who take nonconsensual sexual recordings. "I'm sounding the alarm on predators who are still roaming the streets of South Carolina," she said.
