The Daily Populous Monday March 23rd, 2026 day edition
Authored by fitsnews.com and submitted by RhythmMethodMan

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U.S. Treasury secretary Scott Bessent reportedly crushed it at the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Hibernian Hall in Charleston, South Carolina on Tuesday evening (March 17, 2026).

According to multiple attendees at the famed gathering, the 63-year-old Conway, S.C. native had them rolling in the aisles with his ribald remarks. Bessent reportedly roasted former Palmetto State governor Mark Sanford relentlessly, much to the delight of the comeback-inclined politician. He also is said to have poked fun at his current boss, president Donald Trump, claiming the administration was plotting an invasion of Ireland after taking care of business in Cuba first.

Other sources were quick to point out Bessent’s Irish invasion line was, in fact, lifted from a letter penned by U.S. senator Lindsey Graham, who was unable to attend the event and submitted written remarks.

Bessent later had some fun at Graham’s expense, per attendees.

“The reason Lindsey Graham isn’t married is he has no first cousins in the Upstate,” Bessent reportedly joked, referring to persistent rumors about Graham’s sexual orientation.

But the multi-millionaire investor – who happens to be the first openly gay cabinet member ever confirmed to serve under a “Republican” president – saved his best jokes for the congresswoman who represents Charleston, Nancy Mace (who is also the current frontrunner in the race to become the Palmetto State’s next governor).

According to Bessent, Mace made news that day by “not doing anything crazy,” a reference to the loosely hinged behavior that has, at times, characterized her emergence on the statewide and national stages.

But it was his next joke that has set tongues a-wagging across the Palmetto State… and beyond.

“In California, Silicon Valley is where they make the computers,” Bessent reportedly said. “In South Carolina, Silicon Valley is the space between Nancy Mace’s tits.”

U.S. congresswoman Nancy Mace on the south portico of the S.C. State House. (Nancy Mace/X)

Three different sources who attended the event confirmed the wording of the joke… however one source who reached out to us insisted Bessent never used the words “tits.”

“He said it was the space between her chest,” the source said.

Mace’s campaign did not immediately have a response, but we will update this story in the event we receive a comment from her.

Established in 1801, the Hibernian Society of Charleston was formed to assist Irish immigrants and their families. Its headquarters – a Greek revival masterpiece designed by Philadelphia architect Thomas U. Walter – opened in 1841 and hosted the Democrat National Convention nineteen years later.

The iconic, two-story brick structure – famed for its gleaming white stucco and six, magnificent Ionic columns – was modeled after the Temple of Illisus in Athens.

Speeches at the Hibernian are off the record, but in recent years leaks from within this hallowed hall have become commonplace. As we noted back 2019, the “cone of silence” surrounding the annual St. Patrick’s Day banquet was long ago shattered – meaning politicians and officials who speak there know anything they say can (and potentially will) be used against them.

This is a developing story… please check back for updates.

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

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sweetbldnjesus on March 23rd, 2026 at 11:07 UTC »

How come the more right you go the less funny you become?

PioGreeff on March 23rd, 2026 at 09:18 UTC »

We’re really lowering the bar for ‘official remarks’ now

WomanYouSleptWith on March 23rd, 2026 at 08:36 UTC »

I wonder if I'm the only one who's annoyed that the joke was about "silicon", and that what goes in breasts is "silicone".

I guess it still involves silicon, the element, but no one is getting silicon breast implants.

For reference, the joke was reportedly (if probably not exactly worded):

> “In California, Silicon Valley is where they make the computers,” Bessent reportedly said. “In South Carolina, Silicon Valley is the space between Nancy Mace’s tits.”

I think I heard a (better) joke a long time ago that went along the lines of, "silicon valley is between San Francisco and San Jose. Silicone valley is around Hollywood".