In a remarkable turn of events, Representative Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, has accused her former staff members of sabotage.
Over the past three months, Mace's office has seen the departure of nine employees, many of whom have openly criticized her in the media. However, in a recent interview with DailyMail.com, Mace has retaliated, alleging that these former aides mismanaged funds, invaded her privacy, and even destroyed electronic devices to conceal their actions.
According to Mace, the ex-staffers mismanaged approximately $1 million, hacked her phone, accessed her medical records, and even monitored her children's schedules. She claims that they also submerged electronic devices in water and deleted files to eliminate evidence of their actions.
"I knew that they were sabotaging the office for a while. I didn't know to the extent that they were doing it," Mace revealed in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com at her Capitol Hill residence. She further accused them of forging her signature on documents without her consent and deleting files from the office server, leaving no documentation for the incoming staff.
In 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 staff members had left her office.
Mace also alleged that a former staffer leaked the names of new hires to facilitate negative press coverage. She claimed that the hostile environment created by the old staff even led to interns quitting, as they were threatened with career repercussions if they continued to work in her office.
The congresswoman further accused a former staff member of hacking her devices and tracking her movements for nine months. "Literally, they could see where I was at all times. They could see my kids' calendars, my doctors' appointments, my medical information," she said, describing the actions of her former staff as a "massive invasion" of her privacy.
However, the allegations don't stop there. Mace claims that her staff left thousands of dollars in unpaid bills and neglected to file necessary paperwork. She was particularly incensed to discover that her staff had failed to utilize nearly $1 million from her office budget. "It's our job to manage our office, be fiscally responsible, but to use everything we have to communicate our constituent services," she said.
Mace's former staff members, however, have a different perspective. They describe the work environment as "toxic" and suggest that Mace's accusations are a result of paranoia and trust issues. They deny hacking her personal devices and argue that sharing personal calendars with staff is standard practice for elected officials.
One former aide suggested that the allegation about a submerged device stemmed from an incident where a staff member accidentally spilled water on their computer. As for the accusation of unauthorized signature use, the former aide explained that Mace had directed the team to use a stamp of her signature for clerical tasks.
Despite the controversy, Mace remains focused on her work. She passionately advocates for women's rights and gun violence prevention measures that don't infringe on the Second Amendment. She also prides herself on her commitment to her constituents, citing her recent success in saving 1,000 jobs at a defense contractor in her district.
"I work really hard. I work seven days a week for the country," Mace said, dismissing the notion that she is solely focused on media attention. "It's insulting to think that I can only be good at one thing, and I try to do good in all things," she added.
As the dust settles on this extraordinary saga, it remains to be seen how these allegations will impact Mace's political career and her relationship with her constituents. However, one thing is clear: the congresswoman is determined to continue fighting for her district and her principles, regardless of the challenges she faces.
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