Nancy Mace pushes back on George Stephanopoulos in heated exchange over Trump support: ‘Trying to shame me'
Rep. Nancy Mace accused ABC's George Stephanopoulos of trying to "shame" her for endorsing former President Trump in a heated interview Sunday.
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., accused ABC's George Stephanopoulos of trying to "shame" her for endorsing former President Trump in a contentious interview Sunday.
"You've endorsed Donald Trump for president," Stephanopoulos said to Mace on ABC's "This Week," after playing a past clip of her discussing being a rape victim.
"Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape," the anchor told Mace. "How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?"
FORMER NANCY MACE STAFFERS WORKING WITH EX-CHIEF OF STAFF TO UNSEAT HER, SOURCES SAY
Rep. Nancy Mace accused ABC's George Stephanopoulos of trying to "shame" her for endorsing former President Trump in a contentious interview Sunday. (Getty Images)
"Well, I will tell you, I was raped at the age of 16," Mace said. "Any rape victim will tell you, I've lived for 30 years with an incredible amount of shame for being raped. I didn't come forward because of that judgment and shame that I felt."
"It's a shame that you will never feel, George," she said, addressing the anchor directly.
"I’m not going to sit here on your show and be asked a question meant to shame me about another potential rape victim," Mace said. "I’m not going to do that."
"It's actually not about shaming you," Stephanopoulos said, arguing that his question was about the allegations of rape against Trump in the E. Jean Carroll case. Carroll is a former columnist who alleges that Trump raped her in a New York City department store dressing room in the 1990s.
"It's not a criminal court case, No. 1," Mace said in return. "No. 2, I live with shame. And you're asking me a question about my political choices trying to shame me as a rape victim and I find it disgusting."
"And quite frankly, E. Jean Carroll's comments when she did get the judgment," Mace continued, "joking about what she was going to buy, makes it harder for women to come forward when they make a mockery of rape. When they joke about it. It's not OK."
"She’s joked about it," Mace said of Carroll's comments. "I find it offensive, and I also find it offensive that you are trying to shame me with this question."
Mace endorsed Trump for president in January. (ABC screenshot)
Carroll appeared to joke during an appearance on "The Rachel Maddow Show" in January that she was going to go on a shopping spree with the money from her case with Trump.
"Yes, Rachel! Yes!" Carroll enthusiastically responded. "I had such, such great ideas for all the good I'm going to do with this money."
"First thing, Rachel, you and I are going to go shopping!" she exclaimed. "We're going to get complete new wardrobes, new shoes, motorcycle for [Carroll's attorney Shawn] Crowley, a new fishing rod for Robbie [Carroll's attorney Roberta Kaplan] — Rachel, what do you want? A penthouse? It's yours, Rachel! Penthouse and France? You want France? You want to go fishing in France? No?"
Trump intends to appeal the decision that was handed down in January that found him liable for defamatory statements made while denying the rape accusations made by Carroll.
A federal jury in New York City decided last year that Trump was not liable for rape but was liable for sexual abuse and defamation.
Fox News' Timothy H.J. Nerozzi and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.