Capitol Police have arrested a person accused of assaulting Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., inside a congressional office building in Washington on Tuesday.
James McIntyre, 33, of Illinois, is facing a charge of assaulting a government official, according to Capitol Police. He pleaded not guilty to the charge in a hearing via video on Wednesday and was released under the conditions that he remain at least 100 yards away from Mace and not communicate with her. The judge also ordered him to stay out of Washington.
The incident was reported shortly before 6 p.m. when McIntyre entered the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill, which was open to the public at the time.
According to court documents obtained by ABC News, McIntyre allegedly approached Mace to shake her hand. He “took her hand with both of his hands and shook her arm up and down in an exaggerated, aggressive handshaking motion,” according to a witness.
Mace, however, told police that McIntyre shook her hands up and down and her arm was “flailing for about 3-5 seconds.” She said she tried to pull her hand away but was held by McIntyre who told her, “Trans youth deserve advocacy.”
Mace told police she was experiencing pain in her wrists, arm and armpit/shoulder due to the incident but refused to be attended to by paramedics.
McIntyre is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 27 at 9:30 a.m.
Mace claimed on X Tuesday night that the incident stemmed from her position on transgender rights.
Mace made headlines and faced protests for her proposal to ban transgender people from using restrooms corresponding to their gender identity on Capitol Hill.
“I was physically accosted at the Capitol tonight by a pro-tr*ns man,” Mace wrote. “One new brace for my wrist and some ice for my arm and it’ll heal just fine,” she added.
In November, Mace introduced a measure to ban transgender women from using biological women’s restrooms at the U.S. Capitol.
Her announcement came as Rep.-elect Sarah McBride prepares to take office as the first transgender person elected to Congress.
If Mace’s measure were to pass, its management would fall under the jurisdiction of the sergeant-at-arms, which is the chief law enforcement officer at the House of Representatives.
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