Prosecutors drop charge against man who Rep. Nancy Mace claimed 'physically accosted' her
Shania Shelton ·
CNN's companion to the NBC charges-dropped story; confirmed prosecutors declined to prosecute James McIntyre and included McIntyre's own statement directly rebutting Mace's account of being physically assaulted.
"By falsely accusing me of a violent crime and having me jailed, Congresswoman Mace demonstrated her desire to criminalize anyone who advocates for the needs of our trans youth.", James McIntyre
CNN reporter Shania Shelton published a companion report on April 3, 2025, one day after NBC News's initial story, confirming that prosecutors had dropped the misdemeanor assault charge against James McIntyre. CNN's coverage added McIntyre's direct statement, giving the accused man a prominent platform to dispute Mace's account in his own words.
Mace issued her own statement for CNN's coverage, standing by her account:
"I filed charges, and they were inexplicably ignored. But I will not be. I will not back down.", Rep. Nancy Mace
McIntyre, a foster-care advocate from Illinois who had been arrested and jailed on Mace's complaint, also offered a broader framing of the incident:
"trans youth deserve advocacy", James McIntyre
Three eyewitnesses had previously told reporters that McIntyre simply shook Mace's hand and asked her to support transgender youth at the December 2024 Capitol event in question. Mace disputes that characterization and maintains she was physically accosted. No further charges were filed.
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