Prosecutors have dropped the charges against a Chicago man accused of assaulting South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace by allegedly shaking her hand in an "exaggerated, aggressive manner."

James McIntyre, 33, of Chicago, was charged following an encounter at Rayburn House Office Building in December 2024 in which he shook her hand and asked her to support trans children in foster care. Mace, a Republican, said in a social media post that the encounter left her needing a brace for her wrist, and icing her arm.

McIntyre was charged with a misdemeanor and pleaded not guilty, but charges were dropped Tuesday.

"I am pleased but not surprised that these baseless charges have been dropped," McIntyre said in a statement. "By falsely accusing me of a violent crime and having me jailed, Congresswoman Mace demonstrated her desire to criminalize anyone who advocates for the needs of our trans youth. Her actions are fundamentally connected to the broader effort by the Trump administration to criminalize protected speech and create an environment of fear among advocates."

Mace introduced legislation in November to change U.S. House of Representative rules to prohibit transgender women from using women's bathrooms and other facilities on Capitol Hill. 

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