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Nancy Mace may face ethics probe after begging for campaign funds on Fox News

Ms Mace was one of eight House Republicans who voted to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy

Graig Graziosi
Thursday 05 October 2023 20:43 BST
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Related video: Moment House of Representatives ousts Speaker Kevin McCarthy

Congresswoman Nancy Mace may end up facing a House ethics complaint after her latest Fox News appearance.

Ms Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, gave an interview to Fox Business anchor Neil Cavuto on Wednesday. During her appearance, she touted her vote against now-former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and said she needed to fundraise "because the establishment is coming after me for taking a principled stand."

"You're damn right I'm fundraising off of this right now because the establishment is coming after me," she said.

The fundraising tactic is relatively common MAGA rhetoric; Donald Trump frequently fundraises by insisting to his supporters that he is being targetted by the media, Democrats, judges, or prosecutors, and needs donations to keep fighting them off.

It was not how Ms Mace fundraised that may land her in trouble, but rather where.

The congresswoman was giving the interview from the US Capitol.

According to House rules, "the solicitation or receipt of campaign contributions in federal offices, including the House office buildings and district offices, in connection with a federal, state, or local election" is prohibited.

Ms Mace didn't make her monetary plea in passing — she directly asked Fox viewers to donate to her campaign website and made the request a total of three times. She also shared a video clip of her asking for campaign funds from the Capitol on her social media accounts.

GOP Congresswoman Nancy Mace may have violated ethics rules for fundraising inside the Capitol (Getty Images)

“If your viewers want to help out, they can go to NancyMace.org. I am not going to be shamed for doing this. Kevin [McCarthy] broke a lot of promises,” she said.

Ms Mace accused Mr McCarthy of failing to bring up her legislation on "women's issues" and called him a liar, according to the New York Post.

Mr McCarthy was ultimately ousted, making him the first House speaker to be removed from his position.

Before doing the exact same thing, the congresswoman previously attacked her colleague, Congressman Matt Gaetz, for using his challenge to Mr McCarthy to fundraise.

Earlier this year Senator Lindsey Graham was warned for violating the Senate's version of the rule when he fundraised for the doomed Herschel Walker campaign from the Russell Senate Office Building.

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