U.S. Rep. Mace Addresses Lawsuit Against Men She Called 'Predators'
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – U.S. Representative Nancy Mace disclosed that a female who claimed to be a possible survivor of sexual assault initiated legal action against three individuals whom she referred to as predators during her address at the House meeting in February.
The legal papers indicate that the suit, brought forth by "Jane Doe," charges Patrick Bryant—Mace’s ex-fiancé—and individuals named John Osborne and Eric Bowman, along with an entity identified as Bowman Holdings, with various wrongdoings. The allegations encompass wrongful invasion of privacy, slander, deliberate causing of psychological anguish, issues related to property safety, libel, misuse of judicial processes, negligent actions amounting to severe misconduct, ordinary negligence, extreme carelessness, and collusion.
Lawyer Marybeth Mullaney, representing the female plaintiff against the trio of defendants, issued a statement on her client's behalf immediately following Mace’s press conference.
I am pursuing this legal action both for myself and for other women who worry about facing public humiliation if they come forward with their experiences. Although Representative Mace and I have different political views, she demonstrated bravery by shedding light on this issue and consistently supported me during this distressing period. My aim is for this case to empower women to listen to their intuition and relinquish the sense of shame that was undeservedly imposed upon them from the start.
Mace went over parts of the lawsuit document, which was submitted by a previous worker of Bryant, during an afternoon session at her office in Daniel Island on Thursday.
The legal complaint claims that the woman was subjected to sexual abuse when she was unable to defend herself, and asserts that this incident was filmed, preserved, and kept for over half a decade.
Mace did not identify the woman who initiated the lawsuit but mentioned that the victim was among those he observed in photographs and video clips that had sparked the situation. Her address on the House floor on February 10 .
Mace informed journalists that she managed to locate the purported victim who eventually filed the lawsuit and talked to her on April 6. According to Mace, during their discussion, she inquired about the details the victim could recall from the evening of the supposed attack.
The legal complaint asserts that the plaintiff remained unaware of the alleged attack involving the men until Mace informed her on April 6.
This young lady wasn't aware that she had been sexually assaulted because she was incapacitated at the time," Mace stated. "After discovering the video evidence, I informed her about what actually occurred. This conversation proved to be one of the most challenging experiences for me.
Mace stated that the victim’s courage in stepping forward is "immeasurable."
"And I will support her under oath at every step," Mace stated.
After reading the lawsuit and delivering a short statement, Mace declined to entertain any questions.
One of the three individuals mentioned in the lawsuit releases a statement.
On Thursday afternoon, Bryant, who was previously engaged to Mace, issued a statement following Mace’s comments.
This legal action is merely another attempt at media manipulation as part of Nancy Mace’s ongoing smear and extortion efforts against me.
This is merely an ongoing narrative and persistent attempt on her end aimed at trying to undermine me, with the hope of gaining political advantage through the attention she receives.
Osborne and Bowman have not yet addressed the lawsuit or Mace’s accusations.
During her speech in February, Mace labeled 4 men as 'predators.'
During her address at the podium in the U.S. House, Mace alleged that Bryant along with three additional individuals were responsible for "some of the worst offenses against women possible," yet asserted these persons haven’t been prosecuted despite investigators obtaining proof.
The first female Representative for the district claimed that four individuals from Sullivan’s Island, the Isle of Palms, Mount Pleasant, and Rock Hill were accused of plotting to carry out rape along with taking unauthorized explicit images and videos of women and minors.
Mace stated that the victim alleged they were sexually assaulted at a property belonging to Bowman on Sullivan’s Island, and mentioned that Bryant and Bowman remained nearby with their phones out as Osborne committed the attack.
Mace asserted in her address that the attack was "planned out and carried out with children present in the house."
She additionally stated that after she confronted Bryant regarding the proof she discovered of the supposed criminal acts, he attacked her.
She also said while visiting a property owned by one of the men in 2022, she was served two small vodka sodas and inexplicably blacked out. She said she found multiple videos of women who were naked or were being abused and said one of the videos showed her.
Shortly after Mace finished her address, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division verified that they indeed had an ongoing inquiry concerning Bryant; however, they refrained from disclosing the current status of this investigation.
Bryant released a statement right after the address:
I completely reject these claims. This issue is serious for me, and I will fully cooperate with all required legal procedures to resolve this situation.
The fourth individual whom Mace mentioned in her speech was Brian Musgrave, submitted a legal complaint accusing Mace of defamation along with several counts of libel back in March. .
Mace initiated a defamation lawsuit against Bowman Earlier this month, the lawsuit claimed that Bowman "repeatedly and deliberately" made false accusations against Mace. The allegations included claims that Mace was improperly affecting the allocation of Department of Veterans Affairs contracts to associates and supporters. Additionally, Bowman reportedly accused Mace of colluding with his former wife and steering VA contract opportunities toward her business.
