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 baby 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 a minimum of 50 attendees. Hinkle mentioned Mace mentioned in her remarks that she seemed ahead to working with the advocates who had 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 palms, and James says, ‘Trans youth are additionally foster youth, and so they want your help.’ 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 title 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 large of a response to him. She simply form 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 upset in Mace.

“I wish to specific deep disappointment in the truth that Congresswoman Nancy Mace got here to a nationwide foster youth occasion, advised taking part youth that it was a protected area — and actually had certainly one 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 baby welfare and associated points, first reported on the disputed assault allegations.

In response to a report of the incident filed with D.C. Superior Court docket, Mace advised 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 tug away when she tried.” 

Mace advised 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 line 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 along with her proper arm in a sling, and she or he 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 staff from “utilizing single-sex amenities apart from these akin to their organic intercourse.” She mentioned she was responding to the election of Sarah McBride, of Delaware, because the first brazenly transgender member of Congress in November.

Capitol Police mentioned in a press release 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 by a court-appointed lawyer Wednesday, court docket filings confirmed.

Justice of the Peace Choose Renee Raymond ordered that McIntyre keep away from Mace and that he be launched from custody Wednesday afternoon with situations, in line with the court docket docket.