An Illinois man has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault charges after a controversial encounter with Rep. Nancy Mace at the Rayburn House Office Building. James McIntyre, 33, of Chicago, reportedly shook Mace’s hand in what she described as an “exaggerated, aggressive” manner, resulting in her requiring a wrist brace and icing her arm afterward.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when McIntyre allegedly declared, “Trans youth serve advocacy,” while shaking Mace’s hand. Notably, the building was open to the public, and Capitol police confirmed McIntyre had passed through security screening prior to the incident. Mace took to social media to express her pain and to criticize media coverage she felt was exploiting her situation, declaring, “Maybe when the Left said ‘believe all women,’ they really meant men who claim to be women.”
Following the incident, President-elect Donald Trump reached out to check on her, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed that no member of Congress should endure such behavior because of their political beliefs. He deemed the encounter “very troubling.”
Mace has been a prominent figure in the ongoing debate over transgender rights, particularly after introducing legislation that would limit the use of single-sex facilities in the Capitol based on biological sex. This proposal surfaced just before the swearing-in of the first openly transgender member of Congress, Rep.-elect Sarah McBride.
Although Mace declined paramedic assistance following the incident, she has shared photos of herself wearing an arm brace on social media. After a court appearance, McIntyre was released by a magistrate judge, but contact with his attorney has not been established.
This situation highlights the intense political climate surrounding discussions of gender and rights, and may serve as a catalyst for broader conversations about civility and respect in political discourse. As the nation engages with these contentious issues, there is hope that such discussions can lead to greater understanding and cooperation among differing viewpoints.