Alleged Paul Pelosi attacker charged with assault, attempted kidnapping
by Mychael Schnell - 10/31/22 3:00 PM ET
The suspect in the attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), has been charged with assault and attempted kidnapping, days after he allegedly broke into the couple’s San Francisco home and struck Paul Pelosi with a hammer, causing serious injuries.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the charges Monday afternoon, days after the suspect — David DePape, 42 — was arrested and taken into custody.
Authorities say DePape broke into the Pelosi home in the middle of the night and struck Paul Pelosi, 82, with a hammer. According to a source briefed on the investigation, DePape confronted Paul Pelosi and asked, “Where is Nancy?”
An affidavit released by the DOJ on Monday shed additional light on the extent to which DePape was allegedly targeting the House Speaker.
Authorities said the suspect told officers from the San Francisco Police Department in an interview after the incident that he wanted to hold the Speaker hostage so he could talk to her. The suspect called the Speaker the “leader of the pack” of lies promoted by Democrats, the affidavit states.
He told authorities that if Pelosi told the “truth” he would let her go, but if she “lied” he would break “her kneecaps,” according to the affidavit.
“DEPAPE also later explained that by breaking Nancy’s kneecaps, she would then have to be wheeled into Congress, which would show other Members of Congress there were consequences to actions,” the affidavit reads.Officers from the San Francisco Police Department arrived at the Pelosi home just after 2:30 a.m. on Friday, minutes after Paul Pelosi made a 911 call reporting that there was a man in his home who was planning to wait for the Speaker to arrive at the residence, according to an authorities. He made the call from his bathroom.
When authorities arrived at the scene they knocked on the door, which Paul Pelosi answered. Inside, Pelosi and DePape were holding onto a hammer. DePape also had his hand on Pelosi’s forearm.
When authorities asked the men to drop the hammer, DePape allegedly “pulled the hammer from Pelosi’s hand and swung the hammer, striking Pelosi in the head,” according to the affidavit. Authorities said Pelosi appeared unconscious on the ground.
Officers entered the home and restrained DePape. Authorities said they found a roll of tape, white rope, a second hammer, a pair of rubber and cloth gloves and a journal in DePape’s bag. They also recovered zip ties from Pelosi’s bedroom.The first charge, assault of an immediate family member of a U.S. official with intent to retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties, has a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The second, attempted kidnapping of a U.S. official on account of the performance of official duties, has a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
In a letter to colleagues on Saturday night, Speaker Pelosi said her family is “heartbroken” by the attack.
“Yesterday morning, a violent man broke into our family home, demanded to confront me and brutally attacked my husband Paul,” Pelosi said. “Our children, our grandchildren and I are heartbroken and traumatized by the life-threatening attack on our Pop. We are grateful for the quick response of law enforcement and emergency services, and for the life-saving medical care he is receiving.”
Updated: 3:40 p.m.
https://thehill.com/homenews/3712815-paul-pelosi-attacker-charged-with-assault-attempted-kidnapping/
