South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson rejected Rep. Nancy Mace's accusations against him and his office in a speech where she accused four men (including her ex-fiancé) of rape, sex trafficking and other sex crimes.
Concretely, Mace said Wilson delayed an investigation into the allegations after she handed over graphic videos and photos, as well as more evidence of men raping her and other women.
"Women who come forward in your system are treated like criminals under your leadership, in your system and on your watch. Attorney General Alan Wilson, you know there were deliberate delays in an investigation in what I turned over," Mace said during a passage of what she described as a "scorched earth" speech.
"Two hundred and twenty-eight days of delay. And you know this, 228 days of delay. That's seven months, two weeks and four days of delay to investigate. Once again, today, you are kicking the can down the road like you always do," she added.
Wilson's office reacted to the speech with a statement on Monday night, saying the office has not "received any reports or requests for assistance from any law enforcement or prosecution agencies regarding these matters."
"Additionally, the Attorney General and members of his office have had no role and no knowledge of these allegations until her public statements," the statement added. It went on to recall that both Mace and Wilson attended "multiple events together over the last six months" and the lawmaker has his phone number but never told him about the allegations. Mace is expected to run for South Carolina Governor in 2026, with Wilson seen as a potential GOP contender.
The four men named by Mace also rejected the allegations. Patrick Bryant, Mace's former fiancé, told NBC "I categorically deny these allegations. I take this matter seriously and will cooperate fully with any necessary legal processes to clear my name."
Mace said Bryant gave her access to his phone in late 2023, where she saw videos of "incapacitated" women being raped, and that she was one of them. "I turned up the volume to hear if there was audio. I heard my voice. I zoomed in on the video. And that woman was me," Mace said during a passage of her speech. "My entire body was paralyzed, and I couldn't move. Were my feet on the floor? Was I breathing? I have no idea."
The lawmaker said her "scorched earth" speech sought to "call out the cowards who think they can prey on women and get away with it." "So let the bridges I burn this evening light our way forward," she added.
Originally published on Latin Times
