Topline
The man charged with assaulting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul Pelosi told police he also intended to target a litany of other high-profile figures, including President Joe Biden’s son Hunter and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), police testified in court Wednesday according to multiple news outlets, as a state court judge ruled the case against the alleged attacker can go to trial.
Paul Pelosi and Nancy Pelosi attend the TIME 100 Gala at Lincoln Center in New York on April 23, … [+]
Key Facts
David DePape listed off his other potential targets—which included actor Tom Hanks as well as Newsom and Hunter Biden—during a police interview after the late October attack, San Francisco Police Sgt. Carla Hurley testified during a preliminary hearing in state court Wednesday, according to the Associated Press and other outlets.
Nancy Pelosi was allegedly DePape’s first target: In a video of his police interview played in court Wednesday, DePape reportedly told officers he broke into the Pelosis’ San Francisco home in search of the House speaker, whom he accused of committing “crimes” (Nancy Pelosi was in Washington, D.C., at the time of the attack).
The FBI previously revealed in court papers that DePape told police he “wanted to use Nancy to lure another individual” to him, though federal authorities did not specify who else DePape planned to target or whether he acted on those plans.
The hearing also reportedly featured police body camera footage that largely backed up prosecutors’ description of the assault, including a video of DePape lunging at Paul Pelosi with a hammer in the doorway of the Pelosis’ San Francisco home.
What To Watch For
After Wednesday’s court hearing, a judge ruled there is enough evidence for 42-year-old DePape—who has pleaded not guilty—to head to trial on state charges that include attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, the San Francisco District Attorney’s office confirmed to Forbes. DePape was also charged in federal court with assault and attempted kidnapping of a U.S. official. If convicted, DePape could face 13 years to life in prison on state charges and up to 50 years on federal charges, according to prosecutors.
Key Background
Law enforcement officials allege DePape planned to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage, question her about her “lies” and break her kneecaps if she didn’t tell “the truth.” He allegedly encountered Paul Pelosi instead of the House speaker during the early-morning break-in, leading the speaker’s husband to call 911, and soon after police arrived, they spotted Pelosi and DePape struggling over the hammer he allegedly used to attack Pelosi. Paul Pelosi was hospitalized with a skull fracture and arm injuries, but was released from the hospital days later. Before the attack, DePape reportedly left a trail of social media posts endorsing conspiracy theories, including QAnon and false claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election.
Tangent
Nancy Pelosi will step down from House Democratic leadership early next year after two decades at the helm, as Republicans take control of the House. The speaker’s daughter Alexandra Pelosi told CNN earlier this week the late October attack contributed to her mother’s decision to step aside.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2022/12/14/paul-pelosi-attack-suspect-also-wanted-to-target-hunter-biden-and-gavin-newsom-police-say/