Mace, activist dispute handshake that resulted in arrest

A disputed handshake is at the center of a Tuesday incident involving Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) that resulted in an Illinois man’s arrest, according to a police report and a witness who spoke to The Hill.

Mace, who has made headlines in recent weeks for advocating against transgender women being able to use Capitol facilities that match their gender identity, said on the social platform X that she was “physically accosted” by a “pro-tr*ns man.” Capitol Police confirmed that 33-year-old James McIntyre of Illinois was arrested Tuesday in connection with the incident, which took place at a foster care youth advocacy event.

But witness Elliott Hinkle, who is transgender and has experience in foster care, disputed Mace’s characterization of the interaction.

Mace, who is one of six co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, spoke at the event in Rayburn House Office Building on Tuesday. The Illinois chapter of the National Association of Social Workers named McIntyre a “Public Citizen of the Year” in 2019 for his foster care youth advocacy, The Imprint first reported.

“As she went to leave the room, James met her by the door where people could see her and him to say, ‘Trans youth are in foster care and they need your support,’ and gave a handshake and then walked back to his seat and sat down,” Hinkle told The Hill, noting that 30 percent of youth in foster care are LGBTQ. “It seemed a pretty normal interaction from those of us who witnessed it.”

A Mace staff member returned to ask McIntyre’s name and what he said to Mace, Hinkle said. Soon after, Hinkle said, Capitol Police showed up with an “overwhelming presence” and eventually arrested McIntyre.

Capitol Police, who have dealt with an increase of threats against lawmakers, told The Hill, “We take the protection of Members of Congress seriously.”

A police report on the incident also documented Mace’s account of the handshake, which had a more aggressive interpretation.

“The victim [Mace] offered their right hand to the individual to shake hands, and upon their hands coming together, the individual placed their other hand on top of the victim’s hand in a clasping manner so that the victim’s hand was between both of the subject’s hands. The victim stated that the subject began to aggressively and in an exaggerated manner shake her arm up and down in a hand shaking motion. The effect of the motion was described as her arm flailing for about 3-5 seconds,” the police report said of Mace’s accounting of the interaction.

“The victim stated that she attempted to pull her hand away from the subject but was held in place by the subject,” the report continued. “During the shaking motion, the victim advised that the subject stated, ‘trans youth deserve advocacy.’”

Mace told police she was experiencing pain in her wrists, arm, and armpit/shoulder after the incident, according to the police report.

Hinkle, however, said the handshake did not seem aggressive.

“It looked like a benign handshake,” they said.

McIntyre was arrested Tuesday and charged with assaulting a government official, Capitol Police said. On Wednesday, McIntyre pleaded not guilty to the charge in D.C. Superior Court.

Asked to respond to Hinkle disputing Mace’s characterization of events, Mace spokesperson Gabrielle Lipsky told The Hill in a statement: “With an ongoing investigation, we’re limited in what we can share beyond what Capitol Police have already made public. The Congresswoman is in pain this morning, with her arm in a sling, but she’s otherwise doing well—just shaken up. What’s even more disheartening is watching the Left and their media allies deny this even happened, propping up misogyny instead of condemning violence."

Mace was spotted wearing a sling in the Capitol on Wednesday, and posted on X that President-elect Trump had called her to check in on her.

Hinkle expressed disappointment in Mace’s reaction.

"It sends a chilling effect to our young advocates who are on the Hill being told it's safe to share your voice, to speak to your elected representatives, to share your perspective and be heard,” they said, “only to find out that you might have the police called on you for sharing your perspective, and you might have someone claim that you assaulted them when you just shook their hand.”

Mace has made headlines in recent weeks for her opposition to transgender women using bathrooms in the Capitol complex that match their gender identity — and has been very vocal on social media about digging in on that stance in face of opposition.

Mace’s position was a response to incoming Rep.-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.), who is set to become the first openly transgender member of Congress, and resulted in Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announcing a policy that “restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms” are “reserved for individuals of that biological sex.”

Zach Schonfeld contributed.

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