Nancy Pelosi expresses optimism for husband’s recovery in first public statement since he came home

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made her first public comments after her husband Paul left the hospital while he was still recovering from an attack by an intruder at the couple’s San Francisco home last week.

Pelosi spoke via Zoom at a Democratic Party fundraiser Friday called ‘Strengthening our democracy’ and spoke of her husband’s condition.

She said, “Paul came home yesterday. This allows me to be at home with all of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your kind words, your prayers and your good wishes for Paul.’

Pelosi added: “It will be a long road, but he will be fine. And it’s just so tragic how it happened, but still we have to be optimistic. He’s surrounded by family, so that’s wonderful.’

The House Speaker also referred to her husband’s condition in a fundraising email sent Friday night in which she expressed similar sentiments.

NBC News has pulled an explosive report claiming that Paul Pelosi failed to tell police officers he was in danger just before he was injured in a hammer attack at his San Francisco home last week.

The clip, posted by the media early Friday morning, quoted sources close to the investigation as saying that the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had not declared a state of emergency or said he was in distress when the police showed up at his door in response to his 911 call.

The report from Emmy Award-winning journalist Miguel Almaguer claimed the 82-year-old walked back a few feet from the officers and into the foyer toward David DePape, 42, who had previously entered the home armed with a hammer. broke in.

When Pelosi reportedly stepped away from the responding officers and toward DePape, they saw him club Pelosi to death with the hammer, the report claimed.

The NBC News report also stated that it was not clear what Pelosi’s mental state was when he reportedly stepped back from the police and that the officers who called in the police were apparently unaware that it was the house. from Nancy Pelosi, who has a security detail and was in Washington. DC at the time of the attack.

The report, which differs from the court documents filed earlier this week, was published Friday morning.

By early afternoon, according to the New York Post“The report was pulled with the explanation: ‘Friday’s NBC report was removed with the explanation: ‘The piece should not have been broadcast because it did not meet NBC News reporting standards.’

Paul Pelosi was released from the hospital on Thursday and returned to the same San Francisco home where he was attacked a week ago.

DePape was carrying zip ties when he broke into the house in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, shouting “Where’s Nancy” — the same phrase used by Capitol rioters on Jan.

According to court documents filed earlier this week, Pelosi told the intruder that his wife was not there and would not be there for several days, so DePape said he would wait. Pelosi was somehow able to get into the bathroom where he called 911.

DePape told investigators he wanted to hold Nancy Pelosi captive and talk to her. He said that if the speaker “telled the truth,” he would let her go, and if she “lie,” he would “break her kneecaps.”

“She would then have to be driven to Congress, which would show other members of Congress that there were consequences to actions,” he explained.

DePape later also said he broke into the house with the hammer through a glass door.

Paul Pelosi, who was the only one home when DePape broke in, called police who arrived two minutes later and struggled with a hammer, according to a Justice Department press release.

When officers Kolby Wilmes and Kyle Cagney responded and rang the bell at the home, DePape reportedly told Pelosi not to open the door, but Pelosi did so with his left hand.

Pelosi and DePape stood in the dimly lit foyer and looked at the officers as Pelosi greeted them calmly, according to police report.

When one of the officers asked the men what was going on, DePape said, “Everything is fine,” and pulled his hands to his body. When an officer turned on his flashlight, DePape could be seen clutching the bottom handle of the hammer with one hand and Pelosi’s right arm with the other. Pelosi’s right hand was also on the hammer’s handle.

When an officer ordered the men to “drop the hammer,” DePape raised the hammer and said, “um, no” as he tried to pull it away from Pelosi, who said “hey, hey!” exclaimed.

DePape then gained control of it and hit Pelosi’s head, knocking Pelosi unconscious, according to San Francisco FBI Special Agent Stephanie Minor wrote in a request for a federal criminal complaint and an arrest warrant.

DePape was formally charged with attempted murder in San Francisco court on Tuesday afternoon. He pleaded not guilty to charges against him, including assault, attempted murder and attempted kidnapping.

Immigration officials confirmed Thursday morning that the suspect — Canadian-born DePape, who is in custody — entered the US illegally by crossing the Mexican border in 2008.

The US Capitol Police said Thursday it would investigate security procedures for the many lawmakers who receive some form of protection. The Speaker herself has a 24-hour security detective who travels with her.

The attack left Paul Pelosi with a fractured skull and injuries to his arms and hands for which he underwent surgery, according to the speaker’s office. He returned home on Thursday, where he will continue treatment.

The director of real estate and venture capital “remains under the doctor’s care as he continues a long recovery and recovery process” at home, the speaker said in a statement from her office.

“The Pelosi family is grateful for the wonderful outpouring of love, support and prayers from around the world,” Pelosi’s office said in a statement.

“Paul is grateful to the 911 operator, emergency services, trauma care team, ICU staff and all ZSFGH medical personnel for their outstanding and compassionate life-saving treatment he received following the violent attack in our home,” the statement said. .

“Paul will remain under doctor’s care as he continues a long recovery and recovery process. He is now at home, surrounded by his family who ask for privacy.’

The incident, just days before the November election, has prompted Congress to renew calls to strengthen security in the face of a growing threat against lawmakers.

Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat who is second in line to the presidency, was in Washington at the time.

US Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger said in a weekend memo to lawmakers that the attack is “a bleak reminder of the threats facing elected officials and families in 2022.”

In a speech Wednesday, US President Joe Biden linked the attack to the political violence unleashed by supporters of ex-President Donald Trump against Congress on January 6, 2021.

Republicans, he said, have “encouraged violence and intimidation of voters and election officials.”

“That’s the road to chaos in America,” he said.