SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband was assaulted and severely beaten early Friday morning while searching for Democratic leaders.
Police were called to the house to check on Paul Pelosi at about 2:30 a.m., according to Police Chief William Scott, and found that 82-year-old Paul Pelosi and suspect, 42-year-old David DePappe, both had a hammer. The intruder pulled it from Pelosi and began beating him before being subdued and arrested by officers.
The speaker was in Washington and was scheduled to attend a fundraising event for the LGBTQ group’s human rights campaign on Saturday night with Vice President Kamala Harris. The parliamentary elections were her 11 days ahead of parliamentary elections filled with grim, sometimes violent rhetoric. Pelosi canceled the appearance.
The screams of intruders at Pelosi’s California home forced the speakers to menacingly turn up in the hall as mobs trying to block the election of Joe Biden during the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, 2021. It was the disturbing echo of the chant when I searched. Police said a motive for Friday’s break-in had not yet been determined, but three people familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press that DePappe targeted Pelosi’s home. was not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Police have released few details about the suspects or their motives. However, the attacks have raised questions about the safety of members of Congress and their families. In the current midterm election campaign, crime and public safety have emerged as top concerns for Americans.
Paul Pelosi suffered blunt force trauma and was severely beaten after being hit several times in the head. He was admitted to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital for his injuries, the hospital confirmed.
Lawmakers from both parties reacted in shock, expressing their congratulations to the Pelosi family.
“What happened to Paul Pelosi was a despicable act,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y. I send my heartfelt wishes and wish him a speedy recovery.”
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell tweeted, “I am horrified and disgusted by the reports that Paul Pelosi was assaulted at his and House Speaker’s homes last night. We are on track and are grateful to hear that law enforcement agencies, including our stellar Capitol Police, are working on the case.
Capitol Police have investigated nearly 9,600 threats against members of Congress in 2021, and several have been physically attacked in recent years. Former Arizona Democrat Gabriel Giffords was shot in the head at an event outside a Tucson grocery store in 2011. 2017 baseball team practices.
Members of Congress received extra dollars for home security, but as people show up in their homes and the number of threatening communications members receive increases, some are calling for even more protection. The president’s second in line, Nancy Pelosi, has protection details that were in Washington with her.
Paul Pelosi, who often accompanies Nancy Pelosi at formal events in Washington, is a wealthy investor who mostly stays on the West Coast. The couple has her five adult children and many grandchildren. They have been married for 59 years.
Earlier this year, Paul Pelosi pleaded guilty to misdemeanor misdemeanor charges related to May clashes in California’s wine country and was sentenced to five days in prison and three years’ probation.
Pelosi’s home in the affluent Pacific Heights neighborhood has been the scene of several protests over the past few years. After a video showed Nancy Pelosi getting her hair done at a salon, a stylist protested outside with a curling iron after many closed during the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to my visit to Taiwan, members of the Chinese community staged a protest outside.
Also, amid the debate over federal stimulus, protesters scribbled anarchy signs in black paint on garage doors, writing “Cancel the rent” and “I want it all.” I was. They left the pig’s head in the driveway.
Meanwhile, the voices of support and concerns flooded in.
“Over the past 20 years, we have attended many events with Pelosi. We have had many opportunities to speak with our family about the challenges of being part of a political family. I’m thinking about it,” tweeted Sen. Roy Brandt, R-Mo.
White House Press Secretary Carine Jean-Pierre said that President Biden was also in contact with Nancy Pelosi.
“The president is praying for Paul Pelosi and the entire family of House Speaker Pelosi,” Jean-Pierre said. “This morning he called House Speaker Pelosi to express his support for this horrific attack. He is also very pleased that a full recovery is expected. and ask that the family’s wishes for privacy be respected.”
In the Capitol, Senate Speaker Pat Leahy, a Democratic Senator from Vermont and third in line to the presidency, said he knew Paul Pelosi “forever.” He said, “It’s just awful.”
Congressional correspondent Lisa Mascaro and AP writers Colleen Long and Michael Balsamo reported from Washington. Her AP writers Kevin Freking and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed from Washington, Juliet Williams from San Francisco, Stefanie Dazio from Los Angeles, and news researcher Jennifer Farrar from New York.
