US Rep. Nancy Mace recently had a public meltdown at the Charleston International Airport in South Carolina, cursing and berating law enforcement officers who were tasked with escorting her to her flight.
According to an incident report obtained by WIRED, Mace became angry when she realized that her car, which was supposed to meet her at the airport curb, was not there. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) supervisor had informed her that a white BMW would be waiting for her, but it never showed up.
When officers from the Charleston County Aviation Authority Police Department finally located Mace, she began yelling at them and making derogatory comments about their competence. "She repeatedly stated we were 'Fucking incompetent,' and 'this is no way to treat a fucking US Representative,'" one of the officers wrote in the report.
Mace's behavior continued even after she boarded her flight, with an American Airlines gate agent later telling the officers that he was "in disbelief" about her behavior. Mace's director of operations has since released a statement saying that the incident was not part of a broader pattern of mistreatment by airport staff, but rather a case of harassment and intimidation.
The incident highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement in dealing with high-profile individuals like Mace, who are often subject to intense scrutiny and security measures. It also raises questions about how such incidents should be reported and addressed, particularly when there is no clear evidence of wrongdoing by the officers involved.
As one officer noted in the report, if a member of Congress were behaving in the same way outside of an airport, the department would have responded more quickly to address the situation. The incident has sparked debate about the balance between protecting public figures and ensuring that law enforcement can do their jobs effectively.
According to an incident report obtained by WIRED, Mace became angry when she realized that her car, which was supposed to meet her at the airport curb, was not there. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) supervisor had informed her that a white BMW would be waiting for her, but it never showed up.
When officers from the Charleston County Aviation Authority Police Department finally located Mace, she began yelling at them and making derogatory comments about their competence. "She repeatedly stated we were 'Fucking incompetent,' and 'this is no way to treat a fucking US Representative,'" one of the officers wrote in the report.
Mace's behavior continued even after she boarded her flight, with an American Airlines gate agent later telling the officers that he was "in disbelief" about her behavior. Mace's director of operations has since released a statement saying that the incident was not part of a broader pattern of mistreatment by airport staff, but rather a case of harassment and intimidation.
The incident highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement in dealing with high-profile individuals like Mace, who are often subject to intense scrutiny and security measures. It also raises questions about how such incidents should be reported and addressed, particularly when there is no clear evidence of wrongdoing by the officers involved.
As one officer noted in the report, if a member of Congress were behaving in the same way outside of an airport, the department would have responded more quickly to address the situation. The incident has sparked debate about the balance between protecting public figures and ensuring that law enforcement can do their jobs effectively.
and then mace goes full tantrum mode and takes it out on them 
. it's like, yes she's a rep but so are we all supposed to be perfect all the time? 
i'm not saying what she did was right but i do think there needs to be better support for cops dealing with people like that especially in public spaces 
I cant believe what I just read about Rep Mace's meltdown 
Airport meltdowns are bad enough, but when you're a public figure, it's like they think the rules don't apply to them 
They deserve our respect and support, not anger and scorn. And what's with the lack of accountability? I hope this incident sparks some real conversation about how we can balance protecting public figures with holding them accountable for their actions 
she was literally having a major meltdown because her car didnt show up and then she starts cursing and yelling at the cops who are just trying to do their job like is this really something we need to talk about again 
. And then she has the nerve to say it's not a pattern of mistreatment? Um, excuse me? It looks like she was having a major meltdown to me 
. And can we talk about how this whole thing got reported in the first place? Like, didn't she have someone to, like, vouch for her or something? 
I'm shocked she had a meltdown like that, it's just embarrassing for her. Can't believe she yelled at cops who were just trying to do their job. The story highlights how high-profile people can be difficult to deal with, but come on, no need to get all salty because your ride didn't show up 
. Maybe she should've taken a deep breath and been more professional about it instead of making a scene?
. And what really gets me is that she's trying to spin this as harassment and intimidation now 
.
. They're already dealing with a lot of stress and pressure on the job, so when you add in high-profile individuals who are prone to blowing up at people, it can make things really tough 
just think about it... 71% of Americans believe that law enforcement officers should be held accountable for their actions, but only 27% are willing to take action against high-profile officials like Mace 
Like, 75% more! 
. This whole thing raises questions about why we need to treat public figures differently from everyone else. I mean, if a cop yelled at a random person on the street, would we have such an uproar or would they just get written up for misconduct? 
️. What if she had been nice to the gate agent or something? Would that have made a difference? 
. Maybe we shd be havin a bigger convo about how to handle situations like dis? Like, what r the protocols 4 dealing wth public figures who r gettin all huffy puffy in airports lol? Should they b treated diffent from regular ppl? 
And then you go on a rant at the cops, calling them incompetent? That's just low. I mean, I've had my share of bad days too, but I don't think I'd ever speak to someone like that in public. 
she lost it at the airport cuz her ride didnt show up 
? It's not fair to them.