New twist in Nancy Mace 'assault' as witnesses reveal what happened between GOP Rep. and transgender activist

A day after claiming she was 'physically accosted' by a pro-trans activist and posing for photos in a cast to prove it, eyewitnesses are casting doubt on Rep. Nancy Mace's account. 

The South Carolina Republican has been crusading against pro-transgender policies in the U.S. Capitol in recent weeks after the first transgender member was elected to the House in November, Rep.-elect Sarah McBride of Delaware.

Since then she has posted countless photos and videos of her speaking on the topic while saying she is protecting women's rights. 

Then on Tuesday evening after speaking at an event for foster kids at the U.S. Capitol, Mace made shocking claims that she had been targeted by a trans rights activist.  

'I was physically accosted tonight on Capitol grounds over my fight to protect women. Capitol police have arrested him,' she posted after the encounter. 'All the violence and threats keep proving our point. Women deserve to be safe. Your threats will not stop my fight for women!' 

James McIntyre, 33, was arrested inside the Rayburn House Office Building in connection with the incident, Capitol Police said. The Illinois advocate is facing a charge for assaulting a government official. 

McIntyre pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor assault charge on Wednesday evening. A judge then ordered McIntyre’s release after his arraignment in a D.C. superior court.

But now eye witnesses are coming forward saying they don't buy Mace's recollection of events. 

'From what I saw, it was a normal handshake and interaction that I would expect any legislator to expect from anyone as a constituent,'  Elliott Hinkle, LGBT advocate Elliot Hinkle told The Imprint. 

Hinkle said that following Mace's remarks on foster kids McIntyre rose, shook her hand and told her, 'They need your support.'

Afterwards, one of Mace's staffers returned to the reception and approached McIntyre. 

They asked for his name and for him to recount what he had told the Republican earlier. 

According to the outlet, two separate witnesses confirmed the interaction with the South Carolinian's aide. 

Later on, McIntyre left the event, but he was summoned back by Capitol Police. 

Upon his return, he was placed under arrest for assaulting a government official, and he was driven away by authorities, according to the Daily Beast. 

On Wednesday the republican posted a picture of her wearing a cast to show off the severity of the assault. 

'The usual suspects in the media are using the assault on me to prop up misogyny on the left, giving a platform to activists chasing their 15 minutes of fame,' she wrote in another post. 'You don't hate the corporate media enough.' 

A police report stated that the activist shook Mace's hand in a 'exaggerated, aggressive' manner. 

She told authorities that McIntyre said, 'Trans youth serve advocacy,' when shaking her hand.

'One new brace for my wrist and some ice for my arm and it’ll heal just fine,' Mace posted on social media. I’m going to be fine just as soon as the pain and soreness subside.'

A spokesperson for Capitol Police said: 'Just before 6pm, the Member of Congress' office reported an incident in the Rayburn House Office Building.

'House Division officers, and agents with the Threat Assessment Section, tracked down the suspect.

'After an investigative interview, officers arrested the suspect.'

Mace, a South Carolina Republican, has been crusading to ban transgender lawmaker Sarah McBride from using the women's restrooms around Congress. 

The Democratic representative-elect is the first openly trans politician elected to Congress, and is the highest-ranking elected trans politico in the nation's history.

Mace has said that her PTSD from past sexual assault led her to push to ban McBride from entering women's restrooms and changing rooms. 

The 47-year-old has posted videos calling McBride a male, repeatedly speaking about their private parts and slamming transgenderism.

Last month, Mace introduced a bill that would force House members and staffers to use the bathrooms corresponding with their biological sex.

The measure would specifically mean that McBride, who was born male, would have to use the men's facilities.

The Capitol's top security agent, the Sergeant at Arms, would be tasked with enforcing the policy.

'Just the idea of a man being in a dressing room with me as survivor of sexual violence, it just sends me over the edge, and I'm just not going to tolerate it,' Mace previously said.

'And I'm really proud of the women and girls who feel the courage and the bravery to stand up and to shout from the rooftops that this is this is not okay.'

'There's a big difference between being pro-civil liberties and then being pro-women,' Mace continued. 'Women have rights and we're not going to erase them.'

Mace and her staff have been subject to a number of threats since she pushed to introduce the ban in November. 

She previously said that 'trantifa' wanted to kill her in response to a report on X about a transperson in Portland, Oregon threatening to murder her.

'NGL. I had to google “trantifa.” I’ve learned a lot this week,' Mace wrote last November.

'These people deserve a room in prison and/or a mental ward,' she continued before calling out Oregon leaders.

'Also, wondering out loud what @Portland_State and Oregon Governor @TinaKotek think about an alleged student threatening to kill a Congresswoman?' she went on.

She was responding to a post that identified the person posting a series of threats against Mace and author J.K. Rowling as a 24-year-old transgender student activist based in Portland.

'Trantifa' is a term that refers to a rise in extremism and threats of violence from far-left transgender activists. A United Nations investigator warned about the trend last year.