More than a week after police at Charleston International Airport reported Congresswoman Nancy Mace publicly berated and cursed them for not providing proper security, the Republican gubernatorial candidate says she’s been targeted by the airport as well as the Transportation Safety Administration.
Rep. Mace says current and former airport whistleblowers have come forward and say she was subjected to mandatory surveillance every time she was present at Charleston International Airport. What’s more she claims, TSA officials wanted to revoke her security status.
“This appears to be yet another example of the weaponization of government agencies against a conservative,” said Rep. Mace in a statement released Monday.
“If these allegations are true, it represents a disturbing abuse of power and a clear case of political retaliation,” she said.
The latest allegations come after an incident on Oct. 30th in which Charleston County Aviation Authority Police provided a report to media outlets that said they were supposed to escort the congresswoman from a curb outside the airport to her flight. Instead, they said they met Mace at the TSA entrance because she was running late.
The report went on to say Mace repeatedly called the officers “(expletive) incompetent” and told them, “This is no way to treat an (expletive) U.S. representative.”
In the days following, Mace accused airport security of failing to ensure her safety. She did not deny allegations she could have cursed or called them incompetent.
The third-term congresswoman says she will refer the matter to “all appropriate federal and state oversight committees and inspectors general for investigation.” She has also threatened to sue.
Charleston International Airport CEO Elliott Summey has released a statement that says in part, “the safety and security of our more than 6 million passengers, elected officials, and guests who travel through our terminal is our highest priority.”
South Carolina Public Radio has also reached out to the TSA for comment.
