His Ex-Wife of 20 Years: 'He Was Never Abusive in Any Way to Me, Not Physically, Emotionally, Nor Verbally'
Nancy Mace has repeatedly claimed, including on the House floor under what Beth Johnston calls "her alleged congressional immunity," that she was abused by an ex-boyfriend. The allegations are widely understood to refer to Patrick Bryant, Mace's former fiance. Bryant has categorically denied all allegations. The litigation is ongoing.
Now the person closest to Patrick Bryant's character for two decades has spoken: his ex-wife of 20 years, Beth Johnston (formerly Beth Bryant).
December 6, 2024: The Private Statement
Johnston submitted a formal character statement on December 6, 2024, to counsel in the Mace v. Bryant matter:
Beth Johnston character statement, December 6, 2024.
Her words, verbatim:
"As Patrick's ex-wife and after being together for over 25 years, I say with confidence he is not an abuser. He was never abusive in any way to me, not physically, emotionally, nor verbally. I 100% do not believe Nancy Mace's 'abuser' is Patrick Bryant. Without anything to substantiate her comments, I worry all of this may only be a way for her to gain media attention."
February 17, 2025: The Public Statement
After Mace repeated her abuse allegations on the House floor, Johnston went public. Patrick Bryant shared her Facebook statement on March 8, 2025. Johnston's statement covered not only Bryant but also Brian Musgrave, a co-defendant in Mace's lawsuit and, as Johnston noted, the best man at their wedding:
"As a constituent in Nancy Mace's congressional district, I am appalled by her outrageous misuse of the House floor to spread lies about my ex-husband and longtime friend. Patrick Bryant and I were married for 20 years and we have two wonderful sons. Brian Musgrave was the best man at our wedding. I firmly believe Nancy's allegations against both men are entirely baseless. Nancy claims she wants to protect women and children, yet she showed no concern for ours when she was spouting lies under her alleged congressional immunity. In my twenty years of being married to Patrick, I never experienced any abuse or behavior that Nancy Mace alleges. I have also had a longtime friendship with Brian Musgrave. Her statements do not reflect the integrity of the men I know, and have known for the majority of my life. It's clear Nancy only cares about advancing her political career no matter the cost."
Beth Johnston (left) and Patrick Bryant.
Who Is Beth Johnston?
Beth Johnston (formerly Beth Bryant) holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (Pharm.D., BCPS) and works as a Clinical Pharmacist and Assistant Editor at TRC Healthcare. She and Patrick Bryant were together for over 25 years and married for 20. They have two sons together. Brian Musgrave, whom she identifies as a longtime personal friend, was the best man at their wedding. Johnston is identified as a potential fact witness in the Mace v. Bryant case.
Her comments on Patrick Bryant's public social media posts following Mace's allegations included the hashtag "#nevernancy."
Context
Patrick Bryant and Brian Musgrave deny all allegations made by Nancy Mace. The litigation is ongoing; none of the allegations have been adjudicated. Beth Johnston's statements represent her personal opinions and observations from her years of direct knowledge of both men.
Sources
- Beth Johnston character statement, December 6, 2024 (submitted to counsel, produced in discovery)
- Beth Johnston Facebook post, February 17, 2025 (shared publicly by Patrick Bryant, March 8, 2025; produced as DEF_000688-709)
- Nancy Mace on Facebook
- Beth Johnston on Facebook: www.facebook.com/bethany.l.bryant
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