“All Hell Breaks Loose: Nancy Mace Claps Back at Jasmine Crockett”

Somebody’s Campaign Coffer Struggles

Somebody’s campaign coffers really are struggling right now, so she’s going to keep saying “trans, trans, trans” so that people will feel threatened. And child, listen, I want y’all to tell—do not call me a child. I am no child. Don’t even own it. You will not do that. I am not a child. Claiming my time. If you want to take it outside, Mr. Chairman, the committee is not in order.

Nancy Mace’s Manufactured Outrage

That was Nancy Mace doing the usual manufactured outrage bit at Jasmine Crockett, saying the word “child.” The irony is that Nancy Mace then threatens to go outside with Crockett, thereby proving that she is indeed a child. It’s not often that Republicans instantly validate a Democratic attack against them, but then again, it’s not often you come across a congresswoman as dense as Nancy Mace.

Oversight Committee Chaos

This came during an oversight committee meeting, which predictably went off the rails as soon as the Nancy Maces of the world had the opportunity. Why? Well, Jasmine Crockett nailed it. It’s because any opportunity is a good opportunity for her to stir up controversy and ultimately fundraise off it. So if you’re wondering why Nancy Mace got so upset, as they say, a hit dog will holler.

Trans People as a Boogeyman

The vehicle for Mace to stir up that controversy was, of course, by bringing up trans people, the right’s favorite boogeyman of the moment, which prompted this pushback from Crockett. “Let me tell you something, y’all need to find some people that actually care about their constituents. And honestly, whenever y’all are ready to work, we on this side of the aisle have always been ready to do what is right by the American people.”

Standing Against Vulnerable Attacks

“Instead, what you continue to do is go after the most vulnerable in our country. The fact that you just sat up there and somehow figured out how to tie trans folk to your argument makes no sense to me. But let me tell you something, trans people ain’t going nowhere. Just like when the racists wanted to make sure that Black people somehow were going to be dismissed in this country, we ain’t left either.”

Mace’s Bizarre Statements

Perhaps the most bizarre part of all of this would be this comment from Nancy Mace: “It is time that we stopped wasting time up here on the Hill. We stopped wasting time here in Congress talking about BS. And someone brought up dignity earlier. I would love to see dignity and respect for women up here on the Hill, which is why we should ban men from women’s spaces, which is why we should ban men from the locker rooms, from women’s locker rooms, which is why we should ban men from women’s dressing rooms.”

Irony in Dignity and Respect

“I’m done with this. We got to get back to common sense. We got to get back to fighting and working hard for the American people, and we’ve got to do it together. So you guys can talk all you want on the left side of the aisle, you’re not going to be successful.” First of all, it’s ironic that Mace would bring up dignity when her entire career is predicated on theatrics and manufactured outrage.

Cognitive Dissonance and Trump

We’ll get to more of that in just a moment, I promise. But second of all, respect for women? Her entire identity is predicated on her support for Donald Trump, who is a convicted felon based on charges stemming from hush money payouts for an affair he had while his wife was at home with their infant son. A judge stated that he raped E. Jean Carroll. He’s been credibly accused of sexual assault by more than two dozen women.

Nancy Mace’s Ambitions

In fact, that’s a point that I brought up during an appearance with Piers Morgan. “Look, going back to Nancy Mace, you know, she explains on a weekly basis how she was the victim of sexual assault, including in this very previous segment with you. And yet, you know, to that point, I feel for her, and I think that’s absolutely awful. But she also breathlessly supports somebody like Donald Trump, who is an adjudicated rapist and who was credibly accused of sexual assault by 26 different women.”

Pretend Controversies for Attention

So the cognitive dissonance at play here, first of all, is incredible. But second of all, just with regard to Nancy Mace, with regard to Donald Trump, we know why they’re doing this. Nancy Mace is not afraid of Sarah McBride chasing her into the bathroom. She’s not. She wants to fundraise off this. She wants to be social media famous. Nancy Mace has more ambition to be famous online than every single member of Congress.

Hypocrisy and Opportunism

Doesn’t mean she’s wrong. So look, if Nancy Mace was truly as concerned about the prospect of sexual assault as she claims to be, then maybe she’d have even 1% reticence to vote for the guy who she breathlessly supports, Donald Trump, who again, is credibly accused of sexual assault by 26 women and is an adjudicated rapist according to a judge. And yet, according to Mace, that all seems totally fine. But Sarah McBride, who as far as I can tell, has behaved herself with nothing more than grace and class merely existing, that’s apparently a bridge too far for Nancy Mace.

A Question of Good Faith

So I guess the question for Mace is this: Is sexual assault only okay when Republicans do it? And finally, as promised, let’s be clear about something. Lest you think that Nancy Mace is acting in good faith, she’s not. Her entire MO in Congress is to whip up pretend controversies that she can then leverage for attention or money. She is the physical manifestation of the worst of our attention economy.