CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Millions have seen a viral video of Congresswoman Nancy Mace and a local man, Ely Murray-Quick, getting into a loud argument at a beauty store in Mount Pleasant. Mace and Murray-Quick both filmed the interaction and posted their respective videos to social media.
News 4 got Murray-Quick’s side of the story and sat down with Mace Tuesday to discuss the incident.
“The first question I actually asked was, ‘Nancy?’ and she said ‘Yes’ and then I asked her, ‘When do you plan on hosting a real town hall for the people?’” Murray-Quick said.
Mace said she felt physically threatened by Murray-Quick during the exchange and that her body language on camera shows she was scared.
The Congresswoman claimed three other similar incidents also happened to her this past week. As a member of Congress, Mace told News 4 she reports all incidents to Capitol Police, not local law enforcement.
“If a woman is standing there alone and she feels threatened and the man is being aggressive with her, the man should respect the woman and take a step back,” Mace said. “A real man protects women. And this guy, he’s not a real man.”
Murray-Quick said he thinks many South Carolina voters want the chance to speak with Mace directly at an in-person town hall. He said he was recording the exchange to protect himself and show the “full truth.”
“I know that a lot of people have these questions for representatives, and I took the opportunity that I had in front of me to ask the question, and I didn’t think that it was too difficult of a question,” Murray-Quick explained.
READ MORE | “‘Where is she?’ Lowcountry voters demand answers after Rep. Mace turns down town hall“
On Mace’s House of Representatives website, 10 in-person events are listed between January-June 2024. Mace said right now, it’s dangerous for her to have open forums.
“I do over a dozen town halls every year,” Mace said. “None of these people have ever attended a single town hall. They’re crazy. They’re just doing it for attention.”
In the video, Mace, unprompted, tells Murray-Quick she voted for gay marriage. He responded back asking “what does that have to do with me?”
The conversation quickly turned to yelling, with Mace and Murray-Quick both swearing at each other. In the video, Mace used the first obscenity.
“I’m not going to be shamed for using a four-letter word. I curse. And that is the cost of doing business,” Mace told News 4.
“I’m not the one running for election. I’m not the one holding this high seat,” Murray-Quick said. “They are held to a higher degree than we are. I am an average citizen.”
Mace told News 4 she and her staff get death threats every single day. Recently, a Butler, PA man was arrested for threatening the congresswoman along with President Donald Trump.
READ MORE | “Butler man accused of threatening to assassinate Trump under username ‘Mr. Satan’“
Since the video was posted Sunday, Murray-Quick said he’s received death threats too, especially since speaking out. “My safety and my family’s safety is my biggest concern at the moment.”
Mace said Tuesday that she’ll host her first in-person town hall of the year on Wednesday. News 4 reached out for details on where and when this will be.
