Pence on attack against Pelosi’s husband: ‘This is an outrage’
Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday condemned the attack on Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) husband at the couple’s San Francisco home.
“This is an outrage and our hearts are with the entire Pelosi family. We pray Paul will make a full recovery,” Pence tweeted. “There can be no tolerance for violence against public officials or their families. This man should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Police said David DePape violently assaulted Paul Pelosi around 2:30 a.m. Friday. Authorities arrived at the home for a “priority well-being check” and found the two men tussling over a hammer. DePape then grabbed control of the hammer and used it to attack Pelosi.
Before the assault occurred, the man confronted Pelosi, 82, and shouted, “Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?” according to a source briefed on the attack.
The Speaker was not in San Francisco at the time, according to her spokesman Drew Hammill. U.S. Capitol Police said she was in Washington, D.C., with her protective detail.
Paul Pelosi was taken to a hospital and is expected to make a “full recovery,” according to Hammill.
A number of other Republicans have weighed in to condemn the attack and send well wishes to Pelosi and her husband, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
Former President Trump has yet to comment on the attack.
Pence, who served in the House with Pelosi from 2003-2013, gave a speech at Georgetown University last week in which he lamented the toxic tone of political discourse.
“I really do believe you can say to somebody they’ve got bad ideas without saying they’re a bad person,” Pence said. “I hold the view, and have for many years, that democracy depends on heavy doses of civility.”
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