Rep. Nancy Mace has government lawyer to defend her against allegations she lied

John Monk, The State (Columbia, S.C.) on May 21, 2025

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The U.S. Attorney’s office for South Carolina has a new role: defending Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., a controversial and outspoken member of Congress.

An assistant U.S. Attorney in the Greenville office, Robert Sneed, has been assigned to defend Mace against allegations that Mace libeled a Fort Mill man, Brian Musgrave, when she accused him of being a rapist, sex trafficker and predator when she made a speech about Musgrave and three other men on the floor of the U.S. House on Feb. 10, according to federal court records.

Sneed said he will file a formal reply to Musgrave’s lawsuit by June 16, according to federal court records.

Since the lawsuit against Mace makes accusations against her in her role as a member of Congress, she is apparently entitled to government legal representation free of charge.

Mace is exploring a run for governor in 2026.

The U.S. Attorney’s office had no immediate comment. Its new interim U.S. Attorney, Bryan Stirling, has been on the job less than a month.

In recent years, the office has been known for its high-profile prosecutions against the state’s most notorious criminals — racist killer Dylann Roof, the fraudulent leaders of defunct SCANA utility and fraudster Alex Murdaugh.

Musgrave’s lawsuit alleges Mace “destroyed the lives of Brian Musgrave and his family” and claims Musgrave has suffered “irreparable harm.” It also seeks actual and punitive damages as compensation. It asks a judge to issue a permanent injunction against Mace to stop her from making further false statements that defame Musgrave. Musgrave also seeks a jury trial.

Although in a doctrine known as “speech and debate clause” Mace is entitled to great latitude and legal protections for anything she says on the floor of the House, the lawsuit takes aim at statements and actions she made about Musgrave outside of the House of Representatives including on X, formerly known as Twitter and Facebook.

Eric Bland, one of three attorneys who represents Musgrave, told The State in an interview on Wednesday, “It’s amazing that as taxpayers we are paying for her representation ... She has yet to put forth any evidence that Brian Musgrave did anything to be called a predator, a human trafficker.”

Mace has been in the news lately in a way unlike any of the state’s more veteran members of Congress, such as Rep. Joe Wilson, R-Springdale, and Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-Santee, have ever been.

On Tuesday, during a Congressional hearing, she publicly showed a nude silhouette photo of herself and censored images of other women — taken without their knowledge by others. The showing was part of her ongoing push for tougher voyeurism laws. She has sponsored two bills, the Sue Voyeurs Act and the Stop Voyeurs Act.

Last week, Mace was in Greenville, urging a judge to deny bond to a 19-year-old transgender activist charged by the State Law Enforcement Division with threatening her life. The defendant had posted on social media he planned to assassinate Mace. The judge denied bond.

“The trans movement is fueling violence,” Mace said in a statement.

In April, Mace engaged in an expletive-laden exchange with a South Carolinian at a convenience store after a man asked her if she was going to do any more town halls. A video of the encounter showed Mace calling the man, identified as Ely Murray-Quick, “absolutely (expletive) insane.”

Mace has also made harsh comments about Attorney General Alan Wilson, who would be one of Mace’s rival contenders for the governor’s post, should they both formally announce.

In the past, Mace has also said she is a victim of sexual exploitation and is speaking out to raise consciousness and to protect others from similar treatment.

Bland said, “I don’t think she is acting in a manner that would comport with her running for the governor of South Carolina. Her behavior since the first of the year is disgraceful. This isn’t the kind of leader that the nation needs or South Carolina needs.”

Mace, a graduate of The Citadel, was elected to represent the First Congressional District in 2020 and has been re-elected ever since.

Mace had no response to a request for comment.

Federal Judge Richard Gergel has been assigned to preside in the libel case against Mace.