House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, has been hospitalized after an assailant broke into the couple’s residence in San Francisco early Friday morning and attacked him, in response to Drew Hammill, a spokesperson for the speaker.
Hammill said in an announcement that the assailant is now in custody, the motivation for the attack is under investigation, and that the 82-year-old Pelosi is predicted to make a full recovery. Pelosi reportedly suffered blunt force injuries after being attacked with a hammer by a person who specifically targeted their home. It’s not clear whether the attacker also intended to harm Speaker Pelosi, who was in Washington on the time, nevertheless it’s not the primary time the Pelosi home has been targeted. It was vandalized in December 2020.
“The Speaker and her family are grateful to the primary responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy presently,” Hammill said.
Lawmakers from each parties have condemned the attack, including Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA):
I wish Mr Pelosi well & pray for a fast recovery Everyone deserves 2b respected & violence is rarely okay
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) October 28, 2022
Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) suggested that Republicans bear some responsibility.
Thank God @SpeakerPelosi’s husband Paul is protected after being attacked of their home by an assailant. While the motive remains to be unknown we all know where this sort of violence is sanctioned and modeled. https://t.co/TaPWBVr5jM
— Jackie Speier (@RepSpeier) October 28, 2022
On Friday morning, Fox News hinted that the attack could possibly be used to Republicans’ advantage within the midterms, with anchors attempting to tie it to the party’s message on crime. “This may occur anywhere. Crime is random and that’s why it’s such a major a part of this election story,” Fox anchor Bill Hemmer said.
Fox News immediately plugs the Pelosi home invasion and assault on Paul Pelosi into its GOP talking points, saying this shows that “crime hits everybody” and “this will occur anywhere, crime is random and that is why it’s such a major a part of this election story.” We’ll see. pic.twitter.com/WfkGZUU7tX
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) October 28, 2022
The variety of threats against members of Congress rose dramatically between 2017 and 2022, with US Capitol Police investigating nearly 10,000 threats last yr.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins told the Latest York Times in October that an intruder had smashed a storm window in her Bangor, Maine, home and said she “wouldn’t be surprised if a senator or House member were killed.” A person was also charged with felony stalking in July after he showed up outside Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s Seattle home armed with a semiautomatic handgun with a single live round and shouted expletives.
Following the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, the Federal Election Commission ruled in March 2021 that members of Congress could use campaign funds to pay for private security services. Since then, their personal security expenditures have ballooned, especially amongst those that have a high national profile and controversial legislative record, like Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), in addition to amongst Republicans who voted to question former President Donald Trump.
However the attack on Pelosi’s husband, in addition to other recent threats made against members of Congress, raise the query as as to whether that’s sufficient to make sure their protection.
