Nancy Mace Escalates Airport Delay Into Profanity-Laced Spectacle
Nancy Mace portrait (118th Congress), 2022. Photo courtesy of the U.S. House of Representatives. Public domain.
Representative Nancy Mace's recent airport meltdown has become a political spectacle, but now she is pushing back hard against the official account. The South Carolina congresswoman was accused in a police report of unleashing a profanity-laced tirade at Charleston International Airport after a mix-up delayed her escort through security. Mace insists the report is "falsified," raising questions about the accuracy of law enforcement documentation and escalating the controversy far beyond the initial incident.
The Airport Incident That Sparked Outrage
The drama unfolded on a busy morning when Mace arrived at Charleston International Airport in a silver BMW, not the white vehicle that airport police had been told to expect. This "minor miscommunication" about the car's color led to a delay in meeting her escort, according to an internal investigation by the Charleston airport police department, as reported by the New York Post.
The delay apparently lasted no more than six minutes, but during that time, Mace reportedly erupted in frustration. The police report details her snapping at a TSA supervisor, saying she was "sick of your s--t," and complaining that she "shouldn't be waiting," as reported by the New York Post. She also allegedly told officers that if she were a senator, specifically naming Sen. Tim Scott, she would not be treated this way.
Witnesses described Mace's tone as "very nasty, very rude," and "very unbecoming if she's representing us" as a member of Congress, as reported by The Guardian. One TSA officer recalled hearing Mace call police officers "f--king idiots" and "f--king incompetent," while asserting her status as a "f--king representative."
A History of Clashes and Demands for Special Treatment
The report reveals this was not an isolated incident. Earlier in the year, Mace allegedly had a similar confrontation when arriving with a relative, which also reportedly involved profanity and complaints about mistreatment. Airport police noted that Mace was "rarely on time," and that communication with her office was complicated by "high personnel turnover" and the use of encrypted messaging apps like Signal, which no other protectee uses, as reported by The Guardian and the New York Post.
Mace's staff had requested security escorts citing "multiple threats to her safety," but the report points out her office "never provided" specific information about these threats when asked by airport police, as reported by the New York Post. The congresswoman's expectation for special handling and immediate escort, despite procedural delays, appears to have fueled tensions.
Mace's Response: 'Falsified' Report and Political Hit Job
In a recent interview on CNN's "The Source," Mace vehemently denied the accuracy of the police report, calling it "falsified" and accusing Attorney General Alan Wilson of orchestrating a political "hit job" against her, as reported by Mediaite. She insisted she never called any officer an "idiot" and expressed shock at the allegations.
Mace said she supports law enforcement, and has secured millions in funding for local police in her district. However, she drew a clear line at what she described as fabricated incident reports. "I back the blue, I back our police, I back our security," she said, "but what's not okay is falsifying reports," as reported by Mediaite.
When pressed on whether she used vulgar language during the incident, Mace reportedly admitted to expressing frustration but denied the specific quotes attributed to her. She acknowledged using profanity in general, noting that "the president does" as well, but rejected the claim that she called officers "f--king idiots," as reported by Mediaite.
The Political Fallout and Public Reaction
Sen. Tim Scott, whom Mace referenced during the incident, publicly condemned her conduct, emphasizing that berating police officers and TSA agents is unacceptable for any member of Congress. He added, "Nor is it becoming of a Member of Congress to use such vulgar language when dealing with constituents," as reported by the New York Post.
The incident has also had political consequences for Mace's gubernatorial campaign. Before the airport confrontation, she was reportd polling at 18%, just behind the GOP primary front-runner, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. However, a more recent poll showed her support dropping to 10.5%, with other candidates gaining ground, as reported by the New York Post.
The Report's Conclusion and Mace's Office Statement
Charleston Airport Police Chief James Woods acknowledged the department's role in the initial miscommunication about the vehicle color but placed significant blame on Mace for not following established procedures, which escalated the situation into a "spectacle," as reported by The Guardian.
Mace's office described the report as a "full exoneration" and said they look forward to focusing on issues important to South Carolinians, such as affordability and law and order, as reported by the New York Post.
A Story of Conflicting Narratives
The tension between the detailed police report and Mace's outright denial of the documented language and behavior highlights a deeper conflict. On one side, officers and TSA personnel describe a chaotic scene marked by profanity and demands for special treatment. On the other, Mace insists the official account is fabricated and politically motivated.
This contradiction raises broader questions about trust in law enforcement records and the political weaponization of incident reports. Mace's claim that the police report was "100% fictitious," as reported by Mediaite, challenges the credibility of the documentation and suggests a high-stakes battle over public perception and political survival.
As the investigation remains a topic of public debate, the airport incident serves as a vivid example of how a "minor miscommunication" can spiral into a headline-grabbing controversy, fueled by conflicting accounts and political stakes.
The story is far from over, and the fallout from this airport confrontation will likely continue to reverberate through South Carolina's political landscape in the months ahead.
References: Nancy Mace turned 'minor miscommunication' into profanity-laced 'spectacle' at SC airport: police report | Nancy Mace escalated airport incident into 'spectacle', police investigation says | US politics | The Guardian | Nancy Mace Claims Police Report About Meltdown Was 'Falsified'
