A person Rep. Nancy Macy, R-S.C., said “physically accosted” her on Capitol grounds Tuesday evening has been arrested and is facing a charge for assaulting a government official, Capitol Police said. 

What You Need To Know

  • A person Rep. Nancy Macy, R-S.C., said “physically accosted” her on Capitol grounds Tuesday evening has been arrested and is facing a charge for assaulting a government official, Capitol Police said
  • In a post on X Tuesday evening, Mace, who has been in the spotlight recently for a controversial push regarding transgender women and bathrooms at the Capitol, said the attack stemmed from her “fight to protect women"
  • Capitol Police confirmed to Spectrum News on Wednesday that it received a report of an incident in one of the House office buildings from the representative’s office just before 6 p.m. EST on Tuesday; Officers and agents tracked down the suspect and arrested a 33-year-old person, identified as James McIntyre of Illinois
  • It comes as Mace has received attention for a resolution she introduced last month seeking to ban transgender women from using women’s bathrooms in the Capitol weeks after Democrat Sarah McBride was elected to Delaware's sole House seat -- a feat that will make her the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress

In a post on X on Tuesday evening, Mace, who has been in the spotlight recently for a controversial push regarding transgender women and bathrooms at the Capitol, said the attack stemmed from her “fight to protect women.”

“All the violence and threats keep proving our point. Women deserve to be safe,” Mace continued in her post. “Your threats will not stop my fight for women!” 

Capitol Police confirmed to Spectrum News on Wednesday that they received a report of an incident in one of the House office buildings from the representative’s office just before 6 p.m. Tuesday. The office building was open to the public at the time. 

Officers and agents tracked down the suspect and arrested a 33-year-old person, identified as James McIntyre of Illinois, who is now facing a misdemeanor charge, Capitol Police added. 

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Wednesday morning that he had not been briefed on the incident or had the opportunity to speak with Mace yet but called for “maximum protection” for lawmakers amid an environment of “intensifying political violence.”

“No member of Congress should be accosted or assaulted or attacked based on their political beliefs,” the House Democratic leader added .

The incident comes as Mace has received attention for a resolution she introduced last month seeking to ban transgender women from using women’s bathrooms in the Capitol weeks after Democrat Sarah McBride was elected to Delaware's sole House seat. With the victory, McBride is set to become the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress. 

Republican Speaker Mike Johnson subsequently announced a policy banning transgender people from using bathrooms that do not align with their "biological sex" in the House portion of the Capitol. 

In a separate post on X on Wednesday morning, Mace said President-elect Donald Trump called her following the incident. 

“Thank you, Mr. President, for checking in on me and for standing up for women,” Mace wrote. “We cannot wait to see you back in the White House.”