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Tag: Paul Pelosi

  • Youngkin apologized in a handwritten note to Pelosi for comments about her husband’s attack

    Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin sent a handwritten note of apology to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for comments he made following her husband Paul Pelosi’s assault, according to her spokesperson.

    According to the spokesperson, the speaker has accepted the apology.

    The letter, dated November 1, came after the Virginia Republican claimed late last month that  “Speaker Pelosi’s husband had a break-in last night in their house, and he was assaulted. There’s no room for violence anywhere, but we’re gonna send her back to be with him in California. That’s what we’re going to go do.”

    Youngkin at the time was stumping for congressional candidate Yesli Vega just hours after the assault.

    Punchbowl was first to report about the letter.

    Youngkin, who drew criticism for the initial swipe at Pelosi, later expressed regret for making the comments.

    “At the end of the day, I really wanted to express the fact that what happened to Speaker Pelosi’s husband was atrocious. And I didn’t do a great job,” he told Punchbowl News.

    Paul Pelosi was attacked with a hammer at the couple’s home in San Francisco by a male assailant at the end of last month, authorities have said. The assailant was searching for the speaker of the House, according to court documents.

    The violent attack on Paul Pelosi raised concerns over threats of political violence driven by partisan animosity and increasingly hostile political rhetoric, and highlighted the potential vulnerability of lawmakers and their families in the current political climate.

  • Paul Pelosi: Online, unsubstantiated claims about attack circulate

    Within hours of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi‘s husband being attacked by a hammer-wielding intruder at the couple’s home, a slew of unsubstantiated claims began to circulate in fringe far-right circles, contradicting the official police account of what happened.

    One of the most widely circulated myths about the attack is that Pelosi and his attacker, David DePape, were in a relationship and had a drunken brawl.

    There is also an online claim that both DePape and Pelosi were in their underwear when police arrived, or that the two men knew each other and were friends prior to the attack.

    But the FBI complaint against DePape quotes a witness as saying he was dressed “in all black” carrying a large black bag on his back, and, according to the complaint, Pelosi did not know DePape.

    Another claim circulating is that two blogs and a Facebook account, which show signs that DePape was radicalised, were fake and only created on the day of the attack to support the narrative that he believed in far-right conspiracy theories.

    But the BBC has screenshots of the blogs which show he had made posts as early as August, weeks before the attack.

    Many of these misleading claims have since gone viral after being amplified by new Twitter chief Elon Musk and a number of conservative influencers.

     

  • Hammer attack: Paul Pelosi attack suspect ‘was on suicide mission’

    Court documents indicate that a man accused of hammering the husband of senior US politician Nancy Pelosi told police he was on a “suicide mission.”

    David DePape, 42, pleaded not guilty in a San Francisco court on Tuesday to attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon against Paul Pelosi, 82.

    He allegedly broke into the couple’s house early Friday morning.

    Court documents say he had planned to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage and break “her kneecaps” if she “lied” to him.

    Mrs Pelosi, who is second in line for the presidency, was on the other side of the country at the time.

    According to court papers cited by US media, Mr DePape told police at the scene that he was sick of the “lies coming out of Washington DC”.

    “I didn’t really want to hurt him, but you know this was a suicide mission,” he allegedly said. “I’m not going to stand here and do nothing, even if it cost me my life.”

    Mr DePape also told police he planned to target several state and federal politicians and members of their families, as well as a local professor, according to the filing.

    No potential targets were named in the court papers.

    Judge Diane Northway of the Superior Court in San Francisco denied Mr DePape bail at Tuesday’s hearing.

    The defendant’s lawyer, Adam Lipson, said his client – who appeared in court with his right arm in a sling – had his shoulder dislocated during his arrest. He has since been moved from the hospital to county jail.

    Mr Pelosi remains in the hospital. Mrs Pelosi has said her husband is “making steady progress on what will be a long recovery process”.

    The charges filed against Mr DePape are being brought by the state of California, but he also faces federal counts of assault and attempting to kidnap Mrs Pelosi. No court date has yet been set for that case.

    The suspect’s lawyer also pleaded not guilty on Tuesday on his client’s behalf to the other charges he faces:

    • Elder abuse
    • Burglary
    • False imprisonment
    • Threatening a public official

    The accused would face 13 years to life in prison if convicted on the state charges and a maximum of 50 years on the federal charges.

    The justice department said the suspect had a roll of tape, white rope, a second hammer, and zip ties in his possession when he was arrested.

    He had been searching for the top Democrat and reportedly shouted “Where is Nancy?” while inside the property.

    According to the authorities, he also told police that if Mrs Pelosi was injured, she would have had to use a wheelchair to enter Congress, which would send a message to other politicians.

    Mrs Pelosi, 82, was in Washington DC but flew back to see her husband in the hospital, where he underwent successful surgery for a skull fracture and injuries to his hands and right arm. The venture capitalist has been married to Mrs Pelosi since 1963.

    Hours after the attack, the US government distributed a bulletin to law enforcement across the nation warning of a “heightened threat” of domestic violent extremism against candidates and election workers driven by individuals with “ideological grievances”.

    A blog, website and social media accounts under the name of the suspect seen by the BBC contained anti-Semitic memes, Holocaust denial, references to far-right websites, and conspiracy theories such as QAnon.

  • Nancy Pelosi: The hammer attack has traumatised us

    Nancy Pelosi has stated that the violent attack on her husband has left her “heartbroken and traumatised.”

    The speaker of the United States House of Representatives said her family was “grateful for the quick response of law enforcement” and for his medical care.

    A male assailant struck Paul Pelosi with a hammer at the couple’s San Francisco home on Friday.

    The 82-year-old’s condition “continues to improve” after the attack, Mrs Pelosi said.

    He suffered a fractured skull and injuries to his right arm and hands, and remains in hospital receiving “life-saving” care, she said.

    The suspect, David Depape, 42, is said to have demanded to see Mrs Pelosi – stoking fears about political violence in the run-up to the 8 November midterm elections.

    The speaker – who was on the other side of the country in Washington DC at the time of the assault – flew back to see her husband in hospital.

    In her statement, she said prayers and warm-wishers were comfort and were helping Mr Pelosi’s recovery.

    Police officers responded to a call at around 02:27 local time (09:27 GMT) on Friday.

    They found Mr Pelosi and the suspect struggling over a hammer, but it was wrested from Mr Pelosi by the intruder, who violently assaulted him with it.

    The suspect was tackled and disarmed by officers. He had attempted to tie up Mr Pelosi “until Nancy got home”, law enforcement sources told CBS News. He reportedly shouted “where’s Nancy?” during the incident.

    He is also facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, and several other felonies.

    Mrs Pelosi, also 82, is one of the most powerful politicians in the country. She was re-elected to a fourth term as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2021, making her second in line to the presidency, after Vice-President Kamala Harris.

    The Baltimore native has represented the San Francisco area in Congress since 1987 and typically splits her time between California and Washington DC.

    She is currently fundraising and campaigning with Democrats around the country ahead of the midterm elections.

    Paul Pelosi is the multimillionaire founder of a venture capital firm and lives primarily in San Francisco, where he was born and raised.

    The couple has been married since 1963 and have five children.

    Members of Congress have been on high alert over security threats since the riot at the US Capitol in January 2021.

    Mrs Pelosi’s office in the building was ransacked by supporters of then-President Donald Trump during the riot.

    US President Joe Biden has condemned the attack on Paul Pelosi and said “enough is enough” when it comes to violence in politics.

     

     

  • Paul Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi’s husband, is recovering from hammer attack surgery

    Paul Pelosi, the husband of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is recovering from surgery after being attacked at the couple’s San Francisco home by a hammer-wielding intruder.

    Mr. Pelosi, 82, suffered a fractured skull as well as injuries to his right arm and hands, but he is expected to recover fully.

    The attack has heightened fears of political violence in the run-up to the midterm elections on November 8.

    The suspect, David Depape, 42, is said to have demanded to see Mrs Pelosi.

    President Biden described the attack as “despicable” and denounced a corrosive political climate for contributing to violence.

    “Enough is enough is enough,” he said during a speech in Philadelphia. “Every person of good conscience needs to clearly and unambiguously stand up against the violence in our politics, regardless of what your politics are.”

    Hours after the attack, the US government distributed a bulletin to law enforcement across the nation warning of a “heightened threat” of domestic violent extremism against candidates and election workers driven by individuals with “ideological grievances”.

    However, police investigating the attack on Mr Pelosi – which they have deemed an attempted murder – told reporters a motive had not yet been fully determined.

    ‘Paul Pelosi made secret 911 call’

    Mrs Pelosi – who was on the other side of the country in Washington DC at the time of the assault – flew back to see her husband in hospital.

    A spokesman for the senior Democrat said Mr Pelosi had been attacked in the early hours of Friday morning “by an assailant who acted with force, and threatened his life while demanding to see the Speaker”.

    San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said officers had responded to a call at around 02:27 local time (09:27 GMT) on Friday.

    They found Mr Pelosi and the suspect struggling over a hammer, but it was wrested from Mr Pelosi by the intruder, who violently assaulted him with it.

    The suspect was tackled and disarmed by officers. He had attempted to tie up Mr Pelosi “until Nancy got home”, law enforcement sources told CBS News. He reportedly shouted “where’s Nancy?” during the incident.

    He is also facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, and several other felonies, Chief Scott said.

    He said the suspect had gained access through a rear entry to the four-bedroom Pelosi home in the upmarket neighbourhood of Pacific Heights. Footage shows a smashed glass door at the property.

    The suspect is currently in hospital, but police declined to share details about his medical condition.

    At the start of the break-in, Mr Pelosi told the intruder he needed to use the bathroom then made a secret 911 call on his mobile phone and left the line open, allowing a dispatcher to hear him talking to the suspect, reports the Los Angeles Times.

    Chief Scott confirmed it was Mr Pelosi who had called the police and that a quick-thinking emergency dispatcher had been “able to read between the lines” and send officers.

    “This was not a random act,” said the police chief of the attack. “This was intentional.”

    He added: “Everybody should be disgusted by what happened this morning.

    Far right web activity

    A blog, website and social media accounts under the name of the suspect seen by the BBC are filled with anti-Semitic memes, Holocaust denial, references to far-right websites and conspiracy theories such as QAnon.

    He also posted debunked allegations of election fraud. His recent posts were rambling and touched on a host of far-right and extremist talking points.

    Older messages by the suspect promote hemp jewellery and quartz crystals. He was also a nudist activist who had listed himself as a member of the Green Party, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

    The suspect grew up in the western Canadian province of British Columbia before moving to the US and becoming estranged from family members back home, his stepfather told the Globe and Mail newspaper.

    The Pelosi home with crime scene tape
    IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGES

    Mrs Pelosi is one of the most powerful politicians in the country. She was re-elected to a fourth term as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2021, making her second in line to the presidency after Vice-President Kamala Harris.

    The Baltimore native has represented the San Francisco area in Congress since 1987 and typically splits her time between California and Washington DC.

    She is currently fundraising and campaigning with Democrats around the country ahead of the midterm elections.

    Her husband, the multimillionaire founder of a venture capital firm, lives primarily in San Francisco, where he was born and raised.

    The couple have been married since 1963 and have five children.

    Members of Congress have been on high alert over security threats since the riot at the US Capitol in January 2021. Mrs Pelosi’s office in the building was ransacked by supporters of then-President Donald Trump during the attack.

     

  • Nancy Pelosi’s husband hospitalized after home intruder assault

    Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul Pelosi has been hospitalized after he was assaulted by an intruder in their San Francisco home.

    In a statement shared by Pelosi’s spokesman Drew Hammill on Friday, it was confirmed that the House Speaker’s husband was attacked in the morning by someone who forced their way inside. “Early this morning, an assailant broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi,” reads the statement. “The assailant is in custody and the motivation for the attack is under investigation.”

    Paul, who is 82, is expected to make a full recovery. His wife was in Washington, D.C. at the time of the break-in, according to the Capitol Police statement on the matter. “The United States Capitol Police (USCP) is assisting the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the San Francisco Police with a joint investigation into a break-in at the California home of the Speaker of the House of Representatives,” the Capitol Police shared. “The law enforcement agencies will provide more information when it can be released.”

    Earlier this year, Paul was arrested for a DUI and sentenced to five days in jail and three years of probation.

    It’s unclear if the attack was politically motivated, according to authorities, but Nancy Pelosi has long been the target of criticism from Republicans across the country. In December, a North Carolina man was sentenced to 28 months behind bars for threatening to shoot her.

    The couple have owned the San Francisco home since 1987, and were targeted by vandals after Congress passed a stimulus bill in January 2021. As reported by the New York Times, the home was spray-painted and a pig’s head was left on the sidewalk outside.

    The vandalism occurred just days ahead of the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

    Source: Complex.com