Three months ago, the office of Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace was in chaos, following a significant staff turnover. Nine staff members from her Washington D.C. office left, some voicing criticism in the media as they did. Recently, in a detailed interview with DailyMail.com, Mace responded with serious allegations against these former aides, accusing them of attempting to sabotage her work.
Mace, 46, claimed that these staff members mismanaged a significant sum of money, hacked into her phone, accessed her medical records without permission, and even tampered with office electronics by submerging them in water and deleting files to erase evidence of their actions. She explained that these individuals went as far as to monitor her children’s schedules and her doctor appointments.
The congresswoman’s new team is still addressing the aftermath, working to rectify the damages. In an interview at her home, Mace revealed the extent of the sabotage, including unauthorized signings of her name on documents and destruction of electronic files meant to hinder the transition for incoming staff.
In a shake-up last December, Mace dismissed her chief of staff, Dan Hanlon, followed by the resignation of her deputy chief of staff, Richard Chalkey, and legislative director, Randal Meyer. By February, a total of nine staffers had departed. She also mentioned that former employees had leaked information about new hires to the press to generate negative coverage and that old staff had intimidated interns with threats about their future careers.
Mace further accused a former staff member of tracking her movements and personal appointments through hacked devices for nine months, describing the intrusion as a severe violation of her privacy. Additionally, she lamented the discovery of unpaid bills and unfiled paperwork, which complicated her office’s budget management. The congresswoman expressed frustration over nearly $1 million left unallocated, which could have been used for constituent services or staff compensation, crucial for those struggling with the high cost of living in D.C.
While Mace claims that these actions were deliberate attacks against her, some former staffers have countered by describing the work environment as toxic. They argued that no personal devices were hacked; rather, Mace had shared her calendars with senior staff for operational purposes, which is standard for elected officials. They explained that any access they had was granted by her, dismissing the accusation of sabotage as a misunderstanding, possibly exacerbated by Mace’s personal stress and trust issues.
Former staffers also refuted the claims of sabotage related to electronic devices, stating that incidents like the submerged device were accidents, not deliberate acts. They argued that the practice of signing her name was done with her knowledge, using a stamp for routine tasks she preferred not to handle personally.
The narrative of financial mismanagement was also challenged. A source stated that Mace misunderstood the purpose of the office budget, which is not meant for personal use but for official expenditures, with unspent funds traditionally returned to the Treasury.
As accusations fly and former aides describe a focus on media exposure rather than legislative duties, the true nature of the disarray remains under debate. Mace defends her work ethic and commitment to her constituents, highlighting her legislative efforts on women’s issues and gun violence prevention.
Who knows if the allegations are true, however, one thing could be said due to the drama.
Either Mace is a terrible judge of hiring staffers or there are some real issues going on.