Matthew B. Berry
Matthew B. Berry, General Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives, oversaw the institutional defense of Rep. Nancy Mace in Musgrave v. Mace under the Speech or Debate Clause.
Matthew B. Berry serves as General Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives, heading the Office of General Counsel in Washington, D.C. In that institutional capacity, not as private retained counsel, his office undertook the defense of U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in a federal defamation action arising from her House-floor statements.
Role in the Mace litigation
In Musgrave v. Mace, plaintiff Brian Musgrave sued Rep. Mace over statements she made on the House floor. The Office of General Counsel asserted the Speech or Debate Clause on Mace's behalf and moved to defend her in her official capacity. Live5News reported in March 2025 that government attorneys were prepared to "vigorously defend her in court." The United States was subsequently substituted as the defendant under the Westfall Act, and the suit was dismissed in August 2025.
Office contact
- Firm / Office: Office of General Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives
- Office: Washington, D.C.
- Phone:
- Website:
Sources
- Nancy Mace's Lawyers: A Timeline of Counsel
- Litigation Overview
- Live5News, "U.S. attorneys ready to 'vigorously defend' Rep. Nancy Mace in court" (Mar. 8, 2025)