In a dramatic moment during a US congressional hearing, Republican lawmaker Nancy Mace displayed an alleged nude image of herself, claiming it was secretly recorded without her consent by her former fiance. The incident unfolded during a House Oversight Committee session where Mace was advocating for stronger laws against video voyeurism, the New York Post reported.
"Freedom is not a theory - it's the right to sleep without someone's camera filming your naked body," the South Carolina Congresswoman said. "I speak not just as a lawmaker, but as a survivor."
Behind her, Mace had displayed poster-sized black-and-white images taken from what she said was surveillance footage. She claimed the footage showed her nude silhouette, recorded without her knowledge in a private home. The image had a yellow circle marking what she said was her own body.
"I didn't know that I had been filmed. I didn't give my consent," she said.
The lawmaker has accused her ex-fiance, Patrick Bryant, of not only secretly filming her but also of committing serious sexual offences, including rape and abuse - allegations he has categorically denied.
"I categorically deny the false and outrageous claims made by Nancy Mace," Bryant said in a statement. "I have never raped anyone. I have never hidden cameras. These accusations are malicious and deeply personal."
Bryant alleged that Mace was using her position in Congress to make legally protected accusations from within the chamber, shielding herself from potential lawsuits under the US Constitution's "speech and debate" clause, which grants lawmakers legal immunity for statements made in their official capacity.
"If she truly believed her claims, she would make them outside the chamber and pursue legal action," he said.
This isn't the first time Mace has publicly spoken about her allegations. In a fiery speech in February, she accused Bryant and three of his business partners of committing "depraved" sexual acts against her and allegedly against other women, including underage girls. She claimed to have discovered over 10,000 videos and images on his device, documenting what she described as rape, voyeurism, and other forms of abuse.
The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division is currently investigating Mace's claims. Bryant has said he is fully cooperating with the authorities.
