Prosecutors deny conspiracy to attack Pelosi, charges expected | WGN 720 Radio

WASHINGTON (AP) — San Francisco’s district attorney is dismissing conspiracy theories about the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, confirming the gunman targeted the Democratic leader when he broke into the couple’s San Francisco home and confronted Paul Pelosi.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins is expected to formally announce charges Monday against David DePape, 42, who shouted “Where’s Nancy?” earlier, police said he hit the speaker’s 82-year-old husband with a hammer. DePape was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, elder abuse and other charges.

“At the time the suspect entered the Pelosi home, he was actually looking for Ms. Pelosi,” Jenkins told reporters late Sunday in San Francisco.

“The other thing is we want to make it clear that when the police arrived there were only two people in the house, Mr. Pelosi and the suspect, there was no third person,” she said.

“We have nothing to indicate that these two individuals knew each other prior to this incident.”

The district attorney’s comments come as the gruesome attack on the House Speaker’s husband is being ridiculed and dismissed on conservative far-right social media, even among some Republican leaders and those in the highest levels of public power. San Francisco’s police chief also said the attack was targeted.

Over the weekend, Elon Musk tweeted and later deleted the fringe website’s sweeping conspiracy theories to its millions of followers, as its purchase of Twitter sparked concerns that the social media platform will no longer seek to curb misinformation and hate.

Tensions are high in the toxic political atmosphere a week before midterm elections, with record security threats against lawmakers and other officials.

Paul Pelosi remains hospitalized in San Francisco after undergoing surgery for a fractured skull and other injuries. Speaker Pelosi, who was in Washington, D.C. at the time, quickly returned to California. Unlike presidents, congressional leaders protect themselves, but not their families.

The attack was an unsettling echo of the January 6, 2021 uprising at the Capitol, when rioters trying to overturn Joe Biden’s election defeat of Donald Trump stormed the halls with terrifying cries of, “Where’s Nancy?” DePape also took zip ties to Pelosi’s home, two people briefed on the matter told The Associated Press. The people could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

Police were dispatched to the home in the upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood around 2:20 a.m. Friday after Paul Pelosi called 911. Jenkins said DePape broke in the back door and made his way upstairs to confront Paul Pelosi. Police said they arrived to see two men struggling over a hammer, with DePaipe punching Pelassie at least once before officers tackled him.

The incident raised new security concerns for lawmakers and other elected officials ahead of the midterm elections.

With nearly 10,000 threats against members of Congress over the past year, US Capitol Police have advised lawmakers to take precautions. U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Munger said the lone wolf threat is on the rise, and the most significant threat the force faces is the historically high number of threats against lawmakers, thousands more than a few years ago. .

The beating of the speaker’s husband followed other attacks and threats. A man armed with a gun, knife and zip ties was arrested outside Judge Brett Kavanagh’s home in Maryland this summer after threatening to kill the judge. In 2017, Republican Rep. Steve Scalise was seriously injured when a Bernie Sanders supporter opened fire on Republicans at a congressional baseball practice.

Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., was among those who praised the attack on Paul Pelosi, tweeting a joke about a Halloween costume.

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Associated Press writer Michael Balsama contributed to this report.