(The Lion) — Rep. Nancy Mace, R-South Carolina, says she was assaulted Tuesday by a pro-transgender activist at the U.S. Capitol while the congresswoman was speaking to the Foster Youth Caucus.
New details discovered by The Lion seem to substantiate Mace’s claim that her opposition to transgender bathroom sharing was a motive in the attack.
Capitol police tracked down the suspect and arrested James McIntyre, 33, of Cook County, Illinois, in the alleged assault.
Mace has been the subject of protests by pro-transgender activists since she spoke out about the need to prevent biological men who identify as women from sharing bathrooms with biological women and girls.
“I was physically accosted at the Capitol tonight by a pro-tr*ns man. One new brace for my wrist and some ice for my arm and it’ll heal just fine,” Mace tweeted on X. She is a co-chair of the Foster Youth Caucus.
“Your tr*ns violence and threats on my life will only make me double down,” she added.
Multiple news outlets have reported that Capitol police have not confirmed a pro-transgender motive in the attack.
But a scan of McIntyre’s X postings and LinkedIn pages is suggestive.
His LinkedIn page says he’s senior director of governmental relations and volunteer recruitment at “CASA of Cook County,” a youth foster care advocacy program.
An X account under the name James McIntyre includes a cover photo that reads “Foster Care Alumni of America.” The account appears dormant.
The LinkedIn biography claims McIntyre is a founding member of the Foster Care Alumni of America–Illinois chapter, and uses the pronouns he/him. He was in and out of the foster care system until he became too old at age 21 to qualify for foster care, the biography said.
Some of the posts shared on the X accounts include tips on how to apply make-up, including eyeliner and foundation.
It also includes a meme targeted at then-U.S.-presidential candidate Donald Trump saying, “Nothing Like A White Girl Stealing A Black Girls Words,” an apparent reference to when a writer for Melania Trump allegedly lifted passages from Michelle Obama’s speeches without proper citations.
Mace became a target of the transgender movement when she spoke out about not wanting to share bathroom space with newly elected transgender woman Sarah McBride, a Democrat who will represent a Delaware district in the U.S. House.
Mace subsequently got the shared bathroom policy reversed after she introduced a resolution that would disallow the practice at the Capitol or any of the Congressional offices.
Since then, Mace has been getting death threats, reported Fox News.
Independent journalist Andy Ngo reported on some of the threats.
“Recently, Portland Trantifa activist (Venus Andromeda Boyle, aka Joshua Ryan Matthew Boyle) sent her a video post where he described in graphic detail how he was going to kill her in a women’s bathroom,” wrote Ngo.
Ngo said Boyle has made similar threats to author J.K. Rowling, who is also a noted anti-transgender activist.
“According to a source with knowledge, LGBTQ+ activist James McIntyre allegedly grabbed @NancyMace’s hand aggressively, tightened his grip and shook her around by her arm. Rep. Mace weighs only around 115 pounds,” said Ngo about the assault at the Capitol.
McIntyre is facing charges of assaulting a government official, according to U.S. Capitol Police, reported Chicago’s local WGN News.
It is unclear if McIntyre remains in custody. Calls and text messages to McIntyre by The Lion were not returned by the time of publication.
