Nancy Pelosi's husband 'violently assaulted' by intruder at California home, police say

The husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was allegedly attacked and severely beaten with a hammer by an assailant who broke into the couple's San Francisco home early Friday searching for the Democratic leader and shouting: "Where is Nancy, where is Nancy?"

The assault on Paul Pelosi, 82, injected new uneasiness into the already toxic political climate in the U.S., just 11 days before the midterm elections.

It carried chilling echoes of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol when rioters chanted menacingly for the speaker as they rampaged through the halls trying to halt certification of U.S. President Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump.

Speaker Pelosi, who was in Washington at the time of the California attack, arrived in San Francisco late Friday and went straight to the hospital where her husband was being treated for injuries.

He underwent surgery to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands, her office said. His doctors expect a full recovery.

"This was not a random act. This was intentional. And it's wrong," said San Francisco Police Chief William Scott.

He appeared to hold back emotion as he strongly rejected violence in politics.

"Our elected officials are here to do the business of their cities and their counties and their states. Their families don't sign up for this," Scott said. "Everybody should be disgusted about what happened this morning."

A 42-year-old suspect, David DePape, was arrested on charges of attempted murder, elder abuse and burglary and remained in the hospital late Friday, police said. 

Biden quickly called the Speaker with support and later delivered a full-throated condemnation of the "despicable" attack that he said had no place in America.

"There's too much violence, political violence. Too much hatred. Too much vitriol," Biden said Friday night at a Democratic rally in Pennsylvania.

"What makes us think it's not going to corrode the political climate? Enough is enough is enough."

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell tweeted he was "horrified and disgusted" by the assault.

Political rhetoric in the U.S. has become increasingly alarming, with ominous threats to lawmakers at an all-time high. The House Speaker and other congressional leaders are provided 24-hour security, with increasingly more members now receiving police protection.

Motive under investigation

San Francisco police were called Friday at about 2:30 a.m. local time to the Pelosi residence, said Scott.

Scott confirmed that the intruder gained entry through the rear door of the home, which is in the upscale Pacific Heights neighbourhood. Investigators believe the intruder broke through glass-panelled doors, according to two people familiar with the situation.

Paul called 911 himself after telling the intruder he had to use the restroom, where his phone was charging, according to a person familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it.

Scott said the 911 dispatcher figured out there was "something more" to the call, resulting in a priority dispatch and faster police response. "I think this was lifesaving," he said.

Inside, police found both men struggling over a hammer, Scott said. DePape allegedly yanked the hammer from Pelosi and began beating him with it, striking at least one blow, before being tackled by officers and arrested, he said.

Police said a motive was still being determined, but three people with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press that DePape targeted the Pelosi home. Those people were not authorized to talk publicly about an ongoing probe and spoke on condition of anonymity. DePape was booked in the county jail.

The House Speaker had returned to Washington this week after being abroad, and had been scheduled to appear with Vice-President Kamala Harris at a fundraising event Saturday night for the LGBTQ group Human Rights Campaign. She cancelled her appearance.

On Friday, Harris said, "I strongly believe that each one of us has to speak out against hate, we have to speak out against violence obviously, and speak to our better selves."

Suspect grew up in Canada

An address listed for DePape in the Bay Area college town of Berkeley led to a post box at a UPS Store.

He was known locally as a pro-nudity activist who had picketed naked at protests against laws requiring people to be clothed in public

DePape grew up in Powell River, B.C., before leaving about 20 years ago to follow an older girlfriend to San Francisco.

His stepfather, Gene DePape, told The Associated Press that DePape lived with him in Canada until he was 14 and was a quiet boy.

"He was reclusive," said Gene DePape, adding, "He was never violent."

The stepfather said he hadn't seen DePape since 2003 and tried to get in touch with him several times over the years without success.

'A dastardly act'

U.S. lawmakers reacted to the assault with shock and expressed their well wishes to the Pelosi family.

"What happened to Paul Pelosi was a dastardly act," said U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. "I spoke with Speaker Pelosi earlier this morning and conveyed my deepest concern and heartfelt wishes to her husband and their family, and I wish him a speedy recovery."

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy reached out privately to the Speaker "to check in on Paul and said he's praying for a full recovery," spokesman Mark Bednar said.

But some Republicans declined to pause from politics.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, at a campaign stop for a congressional candidate, said of the Pelosis: "There's no room for violence anywhere, but we're going to send her back to be with him in California."

Threats against lawmakers

In 2021, Capitol Police investigated around 9,600 threats made against members of Congress, and several members have been attacked in recent years. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democrat, was shot in the head at an event outside a Tucson grocery store in 2011, and Rep. Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, was severely injured when a gunman opened fire on a Republican congressional baseball team practice in 2017.

Members of Congress have received additional dollars for security at their homes, but some have pushed for more protection as people have showed up at their homes and as members have received an increasing number of threatening communications.

Nancy Pelosi, who is second in line of succession to the president, has been viciously lampooned in campaign ads by Republicans and outside groups during this election cycle, which will determine control of the U.S. Congress. Her protective security detail was with her in Washington at the time of Friday's attack in California.

Often at her side during formal events in Washington, Paul is a wealthy investor who largely remains on the West Coast. They have been married 59 years and have five adult children and several grandchildren. 

Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving under the influence charges related to a May crash in California's wine country and was sentenced to five days in jail and three years of probation.

The Pelosi home has been the scene of several protests in the past few years. After Nancy was seen on video getting her hair done at a salon while many were shut down during the coronavirus pandemic, stylists protested outside with curling irons. Members of the Chinese community protested recently before her trip to Taiwan.

During debates over the federal stimulus package, protesters scrawled anarchy signs in black paint across the garage door, along with "Cancel rent" and "We want everything." They left a pig's head on the driveway.

Yet the dominant feelings on Friday were of support and concern.

At the Capitol, Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the U.S. Senate president pro-tempore and third in the presidential line of succession, said he had known Paul "forever" and said of the attack: "It's just horrible."