Representative Nancy Mace, Republican of South Carolina, left a closed-door House Oversight Committee briefing with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse on Tuesday after she said she suffered a “full-blown panic attack.”
Mace wiped tears as she exited the meeting, and she later said in a statement that she was “sweating, hyperventilating and shaking.”
Newsweek contacted Mace’s office for more information via email.
Why It Matters
The closed-door briefing formed part of the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into how federal agencies handled Epstein’s case and the release of related records. Lawmakers said it was intended to give survivors a direct forum to convey their experiences to Congress, as per The Hill.
Mace’s emotional departure drew attention because she had publicly identified herself as a survivor of sexual assault earlier this year. Her previous congressional remarks about alleged abusers also prompted a federal defamation suit that a judge later dismissed on immunity grounds.
What To Know
Lawmakers convened a closed-door Oversight Committee briefing with several women who have identified themselves as victims of Jeffrey Epstein and members of his network as the committee pursued documents and testimony related to the case.
However, Mace left the session early and appeared visibly upset as she walked past reporters outside the committee room.
Mace later posted on X that she experienced a “full-blown panic attack” while listening to victims recount their experiences and wrote that she was “sweating, hyperventilating, shaking” and “can’t breathe.”
The Oversight Committee had subpoenaed Department of Justice records related to Epstein and began receiving and releasing thousands of pages of material in recent weeks as part of its probe.
Mace had previously used a speech on the House floor to name men she accused of abusing women, and a federal judge later dismissed one related defamation suit by citing congressional immunity rather than adjudicating whether the statements were true.
Survivors have scheduled a public press conference on Capitol Hill to press for additional disclosures and for legislative action on trafficking and transparency. According to the Daily Mail, lawmakers including Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna have signaled plans to push for a discharge petition to force a House vote on releasing files.
What People Are Saying
Nancy Mace said in a statement on the meeting: “Since it’s already being reported – Yes I left the Oversight briefing with Epstein victims early.
“As a recent survivor (not 2 years in), I had a very difficult time listening to their stories. Full blown panic attack. Sweating. Hyperventilating. Shaking. I can’t breathe.
“I feel the immense pain of how hard all victims are fighting for themselves because we know absolutely no one will fight for us. GOD BLESS ALL SURVIVORS.”
What Happens Next
According to The Hill, the Oversight Committee has planned additional work to review and release Epstein-related records and to press the Department of Justice for documents.
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