House Ethics Committee Launches Probe Into Rep. Mace’s Housing Reimbursements

The House Ethics Committee has begun investigating South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace over allegations she improperly claimed housing reimbursements from a congressional program. Mace allegedly received about $9,500 more than her actual expenses during 2023 and 2024, though she denies wrongdoing and calls the process partisan.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Congressional ethics investigators have launched a formal probe into South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace following accusations that she improperly claimed housing reimbursements from a program designed to help lawmakers cover Washington living expenses.

The third-term Republican congresswoman has rejected the accusations, calling the investigation process “partisan” and claiming ethics officials have “ignored” evidence she provided in her defense.

Following its own review, the Office of Congressional Conduct concluded it found “substantial reason to believe that Rep. Mace engaged in improper reimbursement practices.” The office has now forwarded its findings to the House Ethics Committee for further examination.

The congressional program in question assists House members with the financial burden of maintaining residences both in Washington and their home states, covering expenses like meals, transportation, and housing costs. According to the investigation report, Mace collected approximately $9,500 during her second term in 2023 and 2024 that exceeded “the true costs” of the Washington residence she occupied with her then-fiancé.

The Office of Congressional Conduct noted that because Mace “refused to interview” during their inquiry, investigators “was unable to determine how or why Rep. Mace decided to seek the maximum allowable reimbursement when it exceeded her expenses incurred.”

While acknowledging that “Mace’s lodging expenses may have exceeded the maximum allowable reimbursement for some months,” the report concluded that available evidence “suggests Rep. Mace did not take appropriate measures to ensure she sought reimbursement for expenses actually incurred.”

In a December filing to the committee, Mace’s legal representative William Sullivan Jr. argued that the congresswoman’s former fiancé, from whom she separated in late 2023, has been “engaged in an ongoing campaign to discredit and injure the Congresswoman through false narratives and misuse of legal process, and that any information originating from them would raise serious credibility concerns.”

Sullivan further contended that ethics officials refused to reveal whether the former fiancé participated in their investigation. He argued the referral to the Ethics Committee “appears to rely heavily on unverified materials originating from individuals with personal or adversarial motives.”

Florida Republican Representative Michael Guest, who chairs the Ethics Committee, confirmed his panel received the Mace referral in December. Guest emphasized that launching an investigation does not constitute evidence of misconduct and noted the committee will not provide additional statements until completing its review.