Topline
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., was sued in South Carolina federal court on Friday by Brian Musgrave, one of the men she accused of being involved in filming instances of sexual assault in a speech on the House floor last month, arguing Mace defamed him for making what he calls a “dangerous mix of falsehoods and baseless accusations.”
Mace accused four men, including her ex-fiancé, of being involved with filming instances of sexual … [+]
Key Facts
Brian Musgrave, a South Carolina resident who says his only connection to Mace is being longtime, though “predominantly long-distance,” friends with her ex-fiancé Patrick Bryant, alleged Mace “destroyed” his life by making “false and defamatory” statements about him.
In her speech, Mace said she was raped at an Isle of Palms property co-owned by Musgrave and Bryant in 2022 by an unknown person, and alleged a hidden camera was installed on the property that had recorded photos and videos of other women being sexually assaulted on the property.
In his lawsuit, Musgrave says he was not present during Mace’s alleged assault, and he says he did not incapacitate any women, or film or view any photographs or videos of women being sexually assaulted, and although he acknowledges he was aware of a Google camera Bryant allegedly installed on the property, Musgrave says he did not have access to it.
Musgrave also denied having raped anyone and said in his lawsuit he is not a sexual predator, which Mace had accused him of in her speech (“These men aren’t just criminals, they’re predators,” she said of the four).
Musgrave accused Mace of defamation for making various social media posts after her speech repeating her accusations, arguing these posts would not be protected by the Constitution’s Speech and Debate clause, which generally protects lawmakers from legal consequences for remarks on the House floor—which Mace had pointed to as protection against being sued.
Forbes has reached out to Musgrave’s lawyers and Mace’s office for comment.
Key Background
Before filing a lawsuit, Musgrave denied Mace’s accusations, alleging Mace made “inflammatory claims without proof” in a statement to South Carolina’s Post and Courier. In response, Mace posted on X: “He must have missed the part of my speech where I said I ‘documented’ evidence with ‘metadata.’” Mace also said the South Carolina Law Enforcement is investigating her claims, though SLED has said the subject of their investigations is Bryant. Musgrave’s lawyers sent a letter to Mace in February demanding she either retract her allegations or provide proof, or else he would file a lawsuit.
What Did Mace Say On The House Floor?
In her hour-long address to the House, Mace accused Bryant, Musgrave, and two other men—Eric Bowman and John Osborne—of “premeditated calculated exploitation of women and girls in my district,” accusing them of sexual assault and filming instances of assault. All four men issued denials following Mace’s speech, and Musgrave is the only one to have sued. None of the four men have faced criminal charges tied to the allegations. Bryant, with whom Mace split in late 2023, said in a statement: “I categorically deny these allegations. I take this matter seriously and will cooperate fully with any necessary legal processes to clear my name.” Mace said she was told in 2023 her then-fiancé was using a dating app, and after confronting Bryant, he gave her access to his phone, on which she says she found thousands of photos and videos depicting sexual assaults, including some she says depicted herself.
Tangent
Mace also accused South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson of creating “deliberate delays to investigate” after she allegedly brought the evidence she found on Bryant’s phone to authorities. Wilson may be Mace’s opponent in the Republican primary for the South Carolina governor race in 2026, as both have expressed interest in a bid but neither have officially declared their intent to run. A Winthrop University poll found last month Mace is the most-recognized potential candidate among voters, with 52% stating they are very or somewhat familiar with her, 13 points ahead of Wilson, the second-most recognized candidate.
Further Reading
Rep. Nancy Mace Accuses Ex-Fiancé Of Rape: What To Know About Her Shocking House Floor Speech (Forbes)
