Congresswoman Nancy Mace to Sue Over Airport Incident Reports

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – Congresswoman Nancy Mace, representing South Carolina’s Lowcountry, announced plans to file a defamation lawsuit against American Airlines and Charleston International Airport. Mace, a Republican and candidate for governor, claims that employees at the airline and airport colluded to create misleading reports about her behavior during an incident on October 30.

Mace alleges that the reports falsely accused her of berating airport police and staff, branding her as ‘very irate’ and using inappropriate language. Following the incident, Mace described the reports as defamatory, asserting they violate her civil rights and interfere with her gubernatorial campaign. She has engaged Larry Klayman, founder of Judicial Watch, to represent her in the case.

“We believe Congresswoman Nancy Mace has been subjected to a calculated and coordinated effort to malign her character through deliberately falsified documentation,” Klayman stated. “No American, let alone a sitting member of Congress, should face institutional misconduct and defamation of this nature.”

Mace insists that the reports are politically motivated, citing a pattern of neglect and hostility at Charleston International Airport. She plans to seek not only damages for reputational harm but also public corrections or retractions of the incident reports.

Details of the incident reveal a confrontation between Mace and TSA staff regarding her arrival at the airport. Airport police reported conflicting information about Mace’s arrival time and vehicle. Mace expressed displeasure vocally, allegedly using profanity while waiting at a TSA checkpoint.

Senator Tim Scott, whose name Mace invoked during the incident, issued a response, emphasizing that he has always had positive experiences at Charleston International Airport. “It is never acceptable to berate police officers, airport staff, and TSA agents who are simply doing their jobs,” Scott stated into the public record.

The lawsuit has not yet been filed, and updates regarding its development are expected soon. Mace has asked both American Airlines and the airport to preserve all related documents, communications, and video footage concerning the event.