Foster care advocate challenges claim that Rep. Nancy Mace was ‘physically accosted’

A foster care advocate is difficult Rep. Nancy Mace’s account that she was “bodily accosted” by a person who was arrested on the Capitol on Tuesday.

Elliott Hinkle, 31, who based Unicorn Options and advocates for little one welfare and LGBTQ youths, mentioned Mace, R-S.C., who co-chairs the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, spoke at an occasion celebrating 25 years of the Foster Care Independence Act, held within the Rayburn Constructing with not less than 50 attendees. Hinkle mentioned Mace mentioned in her remarks that she seemed ahead to working with the advocates who have been current and that James McIntyre, 33, of Illinois, approached her after she spoke.

“I believe James took that critically,” Hinkle mentioned, describing how they and others watched McIntyre, who co-founded Foster Care Alumni of America’s Illinois chapter, strategy Mace after she spoke and reached out his hand.

“They shake fingers, and James says, ‘Trans youth are additionally foster youth, and so they want your assist.’ After which sat down,” Hinkle mentioned.

Shortly after Mace left with a congressional staffer, Hinkle mentioned, the staffer got here again into the room and approached McIntyre, asking for his identify and the message he had for Mace.

A number of minutes later, Hinkle mentioned, U.S. Capitol Police started arriving outdoors the occasion. Capitol Police mentioned in Tuesday’s assertion that officers later arrested McIntyre after an investigative interview.

“I watched that interplay occur, and I noticed a handshake and a dialog and a really regular factor for an advocate to come back to D.C. and do,” Hinkle mentioned. “She didn’t even appear to have, like, that massive of a response to him. She simply kind of made, like, virtually like a tiny shock face, after which she left the room.”

Lisa Dickson, one other former foster youth and advocate, mentioned Tuesday on Fb that she was dissatisfied in Mace.

“I wish to specific deep disappointment in the truth that Congresswoman Nancy Mace got here to a nationwide foster youth occasion, informed taking part youth that it was a protected area — and actually had one in every of them arrested by Capital police for merely shaking her hand and asking about trans rights,” Dickson wrote.

Foster Care Alumni, Capitol Police and a spokesperson for Mace’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark Wednesday evening.

The Imprint, which covers little one welfare and associated points, first reported on the disputed assault allegations.

In keeping with a report of the incident filed with D.C. Superior Court docket, Mace informed officers that McIntyre “started to aggressively and in an exaggerated method shake her arm up and down in a hand shaking movement. The impact of the movement was described as her arm flailing for about 3-5 seconds,” the report mentioned, noting that she mentioned she “felt intimidated and unable to drag away when she tried.” 

Mace informed Capitol Police that she had ache in her wrists, arm, shoulder and armpit space after the incident. She refused help from paramedics when it was supplied, in accordance with the report. She mentioned Tuesday evening on X that she was “bodily accosted on the Capitol tonight by a pro-tr*ns man.”

A day later, Mace shared a picture of herself on X together with her proper arm in a sling, and he or she has made posts associated to the incident.

“The same old suspects within the media are utilizing the assault on me to prop up misogyny on the Left, giving a platform to activists chasing their quarter-hour of fame,” she wrote.

Final month, Mace launched a measure to bar lawmakers and Home workers from “utilizing single-sex amenities aside from these equivalent to their organic intercourse.” She mentioned she was responding to the election of Sarah McBride, of Delaware, because the first overtly transgender member of Congress in November.

Capitol Police mentioned in an announcement Tuesday that McIntyre was charged with assaulting a authorities official. He was held in police custody in a single day and launched Wednesday, Hinkle mentioned.

McIntyre pleaded not responsible via a court-appointed legal professional Wednesday, courtroom filings confirmed.

Justice of the Peace Decide Renee Raymond ordered that McIntyre steer clear of Mace and that he be launched from custody Wednesday afternoon with circumstances, in accordance with the courtroom docket.