Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) made headlines Tuesday when she shared a censored nude photo of herself—described as a “naked silhouette”—during a House subcommittee hearing focused on surveillance and privacy. Mace said the image was taken without her consent and used the moment to renew allegations of sexual abuse against four men, including her ex-fiancé, Charleston tech entrepreneur Patrick Bryant.
The hearing, titled “Breach of Trust: Surveillance in Private Spaces”, was held by the House Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation Subcommittee, which Mace chairs. Framing her testimony as advocacy for stronger protections against non-consensual recordings and sexual misconduct, Mace declared:
“I would run through a brick wall to protect women and girls in South Carolina and to other potential victims. I want you to know I have your back.”
Mace also displayed blurred images of unidentified women she alleged were taken from Bryant’s recordings. Bryant has denied all allegations, calling them “false” and “malicious” in a statement to POLITICO.
“I have never raped anyone. I have never hidden cameras. I have never harmed any woman,” Bryant stated. “Nancy Mace made these claims only while standing in Congress… She has not pursued them through proper legal channels, because she cannot.”
These remarks follow a February House floor speech in which Mace accused Bryant and three other men of rape, sex trafficking, and secretly recording sexual acts. Legal battles have since ensued:
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One man has filed a defamation lawsuit against Mace, pending in federal court.
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Mace, in turn, has filed her own defamation suit in state court against another man she accused.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina has signaled that it will represent Mace in court, suggesting she may invoke constitutional immunity for actions taken in her legislative role.
The hearing marked a striking and emotional moment in Congress, as Mace used her platform to highlight the dangers of digital surveillance, privacy breaches, and the lasting trauma of non-consensual exposure.
