Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) has asked the Justice Department to take over the prosecution of a serial criminal in her state who allegedly murdered a woman in her sleep, then shopped with her credit cards.

Mace wants to see Alexander Dickey prosecuted with the Hobbs Act, and she wants to see the feds go for the death penalty in the case.

Dickey's rap sheet included 39 arrests and 25 felonies before the fatal shooting of Logan Federico, 22, in early May, of which Dickey stands accused.

"There are two articles or acts under Title 18 that would allow the feds to take this over," Mace said Tuesday on The John Solomon Podcast. "Donald Trump has allowed the death penalty to be pursued through executive order, and we need the feds to take over this case and make sure justice is served for Logan Federico and her family."

Going for the death penalty

The articles to which Mace referred specifically deal with the interference of commerce by threats or violence and "the unlawful taking or obtaining of personal property from the person ... by means of actual or threatened force, or violence, or fear of injury."

"This guy needs to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and the death penalty needs to be on the table," Mace said, adding that she has sent her request to Attorney General Pam Bondi and to the White House.

The Trump executive order she referred to directs the Justice Department to “pursue the death penalty for all crimes of a severity demanding its use.”

The plot thickens

To thicken the plot a little bit, Mace has criticized the handling of the case by state Attorney General Alan Wilson, who would be an adversary in a gubernatorial primary she hopes to be part of next year.

She said Wilson's politicization of the case has jeopardized the seeking of the death penalty at the state level, but Wilson indicated last week that he wanted to pursue the death penalty and was “ready to assume” responsibility for the case if Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson decided not to go after the death penalty.

Getting the case turned into a federal one would deny Wilson a win that he could use to advance his candidacy, and would allow her to keep criticizing him for not being aggressive enough.

What to do

Certainly, Dickey should not be allowed to keep committing crimes, particularly when his long string of arrests has culminated in him allegedly murdering someone.

Being a congresswoman, however, Mace does not have a lot of direct control over the case, other than to petition the Justice Department as she has done.

She will likely get Trump's endorsement when she runs for governor.

Obviously, though, anything she can do to show herself tough on crime will help her platform in the meanwhile.