Nancy Mace calls the police on prominent foster youth advocate

Nancy Mace calls the police on prominent foster youth advocate

Stunned onlookers say the disturbing turn of events followed a routine celebration of a groundbreaking child protection law

This breaking news story will be updated as more information becomes available.

A former foster youth and award-winning children’s advocate was arrested at the U.S. Capitol tonight – a bizarre twist on an otherwise celebratory day of events – after South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace accused him of assault.

The incident occurred outside a House office building following an event honoring the anniversary of a landmark child protection law at which Mace, a fiery Republican, had given a speech. Three witnesses at the scene told The Imprint that their accused colleague James McIntyre merely shook the congresswoman’s hand at the reception in the House of Representatives and asked her to protect the rights of transgender people.

But in a post on social media platform X, Rep. Mace described a violent confrontation.

Nancy Mace calls the police on prominent foster youth advocate
U.S. Representative Nancy Mace

“I was physically attacked by a pro-t*ns man at the Capitol this evening. A new brace for my wrist and some ice for my arm and everything will heal well,” she wrote at 8:43 p.m. “The Capitol Police arrested the guy. Your violence and threats against my life will only make me give in again.”

The arrest sent spectators into an uproar.

A group of McIntyre’s fellow foster youth advocates rushed to the outside of the Rayburn House office building to observe the scene. They stood in tears for several minutes as police searched him, asking where he was being taken and desperately calling for a lawyer to represent him.

McIntyre, 33, has spoken publicly about his harrowing experiences growing up in foster care and is now a leading voice in policymaking in his home state of Illinois. He is also co-founder of the influential group Foster Care Alumni of America. In 2019, the Illinois chapter of the National Association of Social Workers named him “Public Citizen of the Year.”

A Capitol Police Department official told a reporter at the scene that they would respond to a call about an “attack.” McIntyre was then placed in a police car and driven away.

Other participants have reacted with outrage since McIntyre’s arrest.

“I want to express my deep disappointment that Congresswoman Nancy Mace came to a national foster youth event, told the youth in attendance that it was a safe place – and literally had one of them arrested by the Capitol Police for simply giving her that Shaking hands and asking about trans rights,” Lisa Dickson, a veteran foster youth advocate from Ohio, said in a Facebook post.

Such publicity is nothing new for Mace. In recent weeks, she made headlines with her successful campaign to ban newly elected Rep. Sarah McBride — a Democrat from Delaware and transgender — from using women’s public restrooms at the U.S. Capitol.

At today’s event, Mace, co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Foster Care Caucus, joined a group of lawmakers at a reception in the House of Representatives to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999. The law created the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for a Successful Transition to Adulthood, a law that significantly expanded federal support for foster youth who leave the system after turning 18 without a permanent home.

Today’s events gave speeches from some of the former foster youth whose advocacy led to the drafting and passage of the law known as the Chafee Act.

In her remarks at the House event, Rep. Mace told the crowd that while she is not an adoptee or former foster child, she was a victim of sexual abuse as a child. She called the dozens of advocates and foster youth in attendance — including McIntyre — “the best of the best.”

“I look forward to working with each and every one of you. God bless you, I will pray for you,” Mace said.

As she finished her comments and began to leave the room, McIntyre approached her near an exit door, witnesses said.

Elliott Hinkle, a former foster youth and LGBTQ rights advocate, said McIntyre shook her hand and made a comment about how many transgender youth are in foster care, adding, “They need your support.”

“From what I saw, it was a normal handshake and interaction that I would expect from any legislator as a constituent,” said Hinkle, a consultant who has advised the federal government on issues affecting youth in foster care.

Later, Hinkle said, one of Mace’s aides returned to the front desk and asked McIntyre his name and whether he would repeat what he had told lawmakers. Two other people who witnessed the interaction confirmed this description of the brief episode.

McIntyre left the celebration but was later called back to the Rayburn building by police.

Hinkle said his subsequent arrest had “a chilling effect: It’s not really safe to go on Capitol Hill and express an opinion that’s true for you, that’s not violent — because if you do that now, it could.” a congressman do.” Say you were physically attacked and call the police. How would a young person feel safe in care?”

Michael Fitzgerald contributed to this report.

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