Lawsuit filed against U.S. Rep. Mace over speech accusing men of being predators
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace is facing a lawsuit after her speech on the U.S. House floor last month from one of the four men she labeled as “predators.”
The Bland Richter Law Firm is representing Brian Musgrave, one of the four men Mace accused of drug and sex crimes in a lawsuit alleging defamation and multiple instances of libel. Along with Mace, it lists five “Jane/John Does,” which it describes as “persons whose identities are not presently known, but who aided, abetted and/or conspired along with Defendant Mace in the conduct.”
Mace, who represents South Carolina’s First Congressional District, spoke on the U.S. House floor on Feb. 25, and identified four men, including Musgrave, her ex-fiance, Patrick Bryant; and two others, all of whom she identified by name and by photograph, of being “rapists, predators and sex traffickers,” the lawsuit states.
“She has republished the same accusations countless times outside of the floor of Congress, through spoken words, photographs, social media posts, and has done so both directly and through third parties,” attorneys said in a statement.
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The Bland Richter Law Firm sent Mace an open letter on behalf of Musgrave, on Feb. 28, days after her speech. The letter stated Mace upended Musgrave’s life when she accused him “falsely” of being a rapist, a predator and a sex trafficker.
“Congresswoman Mace was asked to retract her allegations against Brian Musgrave and issue an apology and/or to produce any evidence to her allegations,” his attorneys said in a statement.
But Congressional attorneys responded to that letter, saying Mace’s statements on the House floor are protected by the Speech or Debate Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
“Your letter erroneously questions the applicability of the Speech or Debate Clause to Congresswoman Mace’s remarks on the theory that they did not ‘advanc[e] any legislative initiatives’ but rather ‘were merely … to push a personal narrative,’” House of Representative’s General Counsel Matthew Berry wrote. “Not only is this assertion factually inaccurate, but it is also inconsistent with Supreme Court precedent applying the Speech or Debate Clause. As a factual matter, Congresswoman Mace specifically mentioned twelve pieces of legislation related to the issues raised in her speech, all of which she personally introduced in the last 14 months.”
Answering Musgrave’s demand that Mace turn over evidence linking him to any crime, Berry said Mace shared evidence with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and that any request for evidence should be directed to them.
Musgrave’s attorneys acknowledge that Mace is “afforded certain protections for her activities as a member of Congress,” but says the lawsuit seeks to “test the legal limits of that protection.”
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“Musgrave contends the mere fact Ms. Mace was elected to serve as a United States Congresswoman does not grant her the power to destroy a man’s reputation with impunity and use the hallowed floor of the House of Representatives as a sanctuary to destroy him,” the defense team’s statement read. “Truth is the defense to defamation. Brian Musgrave welcomes the truth.”
“Now, it is with unbridled disgust that Brian Musgrave, through this lawsuit is forced to utter the words: ‘I am not a rapist.’ ‘I am not a predator.’ ‘I am not a sex trafficker.’ Through this action, Brian Musgrave seeks to recover that which has been wrongfully taken from him - his good name and reputation,” court documents state.
Musgrave’s lawsuit lists numerous posts on the social platform X repeating the allegations Mace made during the speech.
The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction against further defamation.
SLED confirmed that it had an active investigation into accusations of assault, voyeurism and harassment involving Bryant following Mace’s speech.
“I categorically deny these allegations,” Bryant said. “I take this matter seriously and will cooperate fully with any necessary legal processes to clear my name.”
SLED did not confirm that is investigating any of the other three men Mace named.
Mace has not yet responded to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
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