U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, has tried to build her reputation on a self-proclaimed commitment to protecting women’s safety. She has framed her latest crusade — a proposed bathroom ban targeting transgender women in the U.S. Capitol — as a measure to shield women from harm. But her hiring practices tell a different story.
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Mace employs Sean Brislin, her legislative director since at least January according to his LinkedIn page, whose criminal history includes an arrest for unlawfully entering a woman’s apartment in Washington, D.C., an act that left the victim feeling unsafe in her own home.
In January 2020, a woman returned to her Northeast D.C. home from taking out the trash to find Brislin, a stranger, asleep in her bed. Brislin, who was intoxicated at the time, had entered the apartment uninvited, between 1 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. according to court documents. Alarmed and frightened, the woman contacted the police, who arrested him after determining that he had no legitimate reason to be there. Brislin was charged in D.C. Superior Court with unlawful entry, a misdemeanor, and later entered a deferred prosecution agreement. He avoided trial by agreeing to complete 32 hours of community service, attend alcohol treatment, and stay away from the woman and her apartment, according to court records.
During a court hearing in July of that year, the victim described the lingering impact of the incident. “I now feel like a stranger in my own dwelling,” she told the court, according to a report by DC Witness. She said she did not believe that Brislin faced significant punishment. Despite her objections, the case was dismissed in 2021 after Brislin completed the terms of his agreement, as signed by Special Assistant United States Attorney Sabena Auyeung.
Mace’s anti-transgender efforts are built on disproven claims.Last week, Mace proposed bathroom bans, which specifically target Delaware Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, the first out transgender member of Congress. Mace claimed that McBride’s presence in a congressional bathroom would be a danger to women. Her assertions are rooted in baseless fears of harm in shared spaces.
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A 2018 study from the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, found no evidence that trans-inclusive bathroom policies lead to safety risks. By contrast, the research shows transgender individuals often face harassment and denial of access when trying to use public restrooms.
Neither Mace’s press secretary nor Brislin responded to The Advocate’s request for comment.
