Details are coming out now about the horrific attack on Paul Pelosi as federal charges are filed and the local district attorney makes efforts to debunk the egregiously low life conspiracy theories that were circulated on social media this weekend in connection with this incident. Associated Press:
Federal prosecutors have filed two charges against DePape, days after police say he broke into the Pelosi’s home and struck the Democratic leader’s 82-year-old husband in the head with a hammer. He was left seriously injured in the attack, underwent surgery for a skull fracture, and suffered other injuries to his arms and hands.
DePape is charged federally with influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by threatening or injuring a family member. He also faces one count of attempted kidnapping of a United States official on account of the performance of official duties.
The announcement of the federal charges comes as San Francisco’s district attorney is set to announce state criminal charges as well against DePape, who police say shouted out “Where is Nancy?” during the attack. He was arrested Friday on suspicion of attempted murder, elder abuse and burglary and is expected to be arraigned on state charges Tuesday.
It’s good to hear the voice of reason in the person of the local district attorney after this situation was made so incredibly ugly this weekend, particularly on Twitter and particularly by Elon Musk and Donald Trump, Jr.
San Francisco’s district attorney, Brooke Jenkins, also rejected conspiracy theories about the attack, confirming the assailant was targeting the Democratic leader when he broke into the couple’s home.
“At the time that the suspect had entered the Pelosi home that he was in fact, looking for Ms. Pelosi,” Jenkins told reporters late Sunday in San Francisco.
“The other thing is we want to make it clear that there were only two people in the home at the time that the police arrived, Mr. Pelosi and the suspect, there was no third person present,” she said.
“We have nothing to suggest that these two men knew each other prior to this incident.”
The district attorney’s remarks come as the gruesome attack on the husband of the House speaker is being mocked and dismissed in conservative, far-right social media, even among some Republicans leaders and those at the highest levels of social power. San Francisco’s police chief has also said the attack was targeted.
The Speaker was the target and thankfully her husband wasn’t injured any worse than he was. This situation was nothing but tragic and it should be treated as a national tragedy, which it clearly is. Unfortunately, our tribally divided and sick culture does not allow for such a perception nowadays.
David DePape is not the only character in this story with mental problems, and yes, Donald Trump, Jr. I’m talking about you. As to the grotesque irresponsibility that Elon Musk showed on Twitter, I am beyond words.
A couple of reminders: 1) Depape’s problem was NEVER his mental illness but the fact that he’s a mean SOB with a violent streak that lacked the self-control to channel it effectively. 2) Nothing Trump, Musk or even Kanye has done (thank you, Bill Palmer, for drawing that connection) has helped them or their followers truly prosper. Short-term, maybe, but definitely not long term.
What we’re seeing is the repudiation of Karl Rove’s “we create our own reality” BS, which helped drive the Republican party into the ruin it has become. Phillip K Dick had the more sane idea that reality refuses to go away when you stop believing in it. Depape is just the latest proof of the latter’s point.