Israel’s president denounces ‘vicious’ assault on Nancy Pelosi’s husband
‘Attacks on elected officials and their families are attacks on democracy itself,’ Herzog says after Paul Pelosi targeted at home
President Isaac Herzog on Saturday denounced the assault on US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband by a man who has spread conspiracy theories about Jews and the 2020 American elections, leaving him with a fractured skull.
“Shocked by the vicious attack on Paul Pelosi and relieved that my friend Speaker Pelosi, who welcomed me so kindly this week, is safe,” Herzog said in a statement.
“Attacks on elected officials and their families are attacks on democracy itself. On behalf of the people of Israel, praying for Paul’s recovery,״ he added.
Paul Pelosi was attacked at home in San Francisco “by an assailant who acted with force, and threatened his life while demanding to see the speaker,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said on Friday.
Paul Pelosi, 82 — who underwent surgery and is recovering in the hospital — was at home alone at the time of the attack as his wife was working in Washington.
“This was not a random act. This was intentional. And it’s wrong,” said San Francisco Police Chief William Scott.
Inside the home, police discovered the suspect, David DePape, and Paul Pelosi struggling over a hammer, and told them to drop it, Scott said.
DePape yanked the hammer from Pelosi and began beating him with it, striking at least one blow, before being tackled by officers and arrested, Scott said.
The FBI and Capitol Police were also part of the joint investigation.
One of two websites DePape apparently administered includes a category entitled “DaJewbs,” devoted to antisemitic conspiracy theories, including Holocaust denial.
Numerous recent entries accuse Jews of being behind Russia’s war against Ukraine as a means of buying up the land.
DePape’s Facebook page appears to no longer be available, but CNN reported that it was replete with posts embracing the election denial lie peddled by Trump and his supporters, as well as transphobic content and unfounded theories about the coronavirus vaccines.
DePape, who police said would be charged with attempted homicide and other crimes, joins a growing list of alleged perpetrators of attacks fueled by conspiracy theories that spread online.
