Attacker targeted Pelosi over her politics
WASHINGTON — The man accused of attacking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer told police he wanted to hold the Democratic leader hostage and “break her kneecaps” to show other members of Congress there were “consequences to actions,” authorities said Monday.
In a chilling federal complaint, officials say that David Depape, 42, carrying zip ties and tape in a backpack, broke into the couple’s San Francisco home Friday morning, went upstairs where Paul Pelosi, 82, was sleeping, and demanded to talk to “Nancy.”
“This house and the speaker herself were specifically targets,” San Francisco District Attorney
Brooke Jenkins said Monday announcing state charges against Depape, including attempted murder.
“This was politically motivated,” she said. She implored the public to “watch the words that we say and to turn down the volume of our political rhetoric.”
The federal filing stands in contrast to the mocking jokes and conspiracy theories about the Pelosi attack circulating by far-right figures and even some leading Republicans just a week before the hardfought midterm elections.
When a surprised Paul Pelosi told the intruder she was not there, Depape said he would wait — even after being told she would not be home for some days. The assailant then started taking out twist ties, to tie him up.
“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 complaint says Depape told investigators.
Depape told police of his plans to hold Speaker Pelosi hostage to “talk to her” and viewed her “as the “leader of the pack of lies told by the Democratic Party.”
“If she were to tell Depape the ‘truth,’ he would let her go and if she ’lied,’ he was going to break “her kneecaps,” the complaint alleges.
Depape is charged federally with influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by threatening or injuring a family member. He also faces one count of attempted kidnapping of a U.S. official on account of the performance of official duties.
Jenkins said more information would be revealed at today’s arraignment hearing.
Depape is a Canadian citizen who legally entered in 2000 but has stayed long after his visa expired.
Family described Depape as estranged, and he was known in San Francisco as a pro-nudity activist who embraced a range of conspiracy theories. He has lived for the past two years in a garage at a residence in Richmond.
Police were dispatched to the Pelosi’s home at 2:20 a.m. Friday after Paul Pelosi placed a 911 call. Depape broke into the rear glass door and made his way upstairs to confront Pelosi. They arrived to see the two men struggling over a hammer, and then Depape struck Pelosi at least once before being tackled by officers.
“We have nothing to suggest that these two men knew each other prior to this incident,” Jenkins said.
The district attorney’s remarks came as crass commentary on the attack circulated on social media.
Elon Musk tweeted, then deleted, a fringe website’s conspiracy theories to his millions of followers, as his purchase of Twitter has raised concerns that the platform would no longer seek to limit misinformation and hate speech.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., was among those making light of the attack on Pelosi, tweeting out crude jokes about it.