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House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said on Sunday that he had met with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in the hours after her husband Paul was violently assaulted by an intruder who broke into their San Francisco home.
McCarthy told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures that he exchanged text messages with the Democratic leader on Friday after the incident happened overnight.
The attacker, 42-year-old David DePape, apparently repeated “Where’s Nancy?” after he illegally entered the premises, suggesting that he himself was looking for the speaker – who was not at home. DailyMail.com previously reported alarming details about DePape’s life before the attack.
McCarthy, who, like Pelosi, is a member of the California congressional delegation, condemned the violence, calling DePape “disturbed.”
It comes after Progressive Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez publicly taunted McCarthy for not speaking out against Saturday morning’s violent attack.
“Let me be clear: violence or the threat of violence has no place in our society,” the Republican leader said on Sunday.
“What happened to Paul Pelosi is wrong. When I heard it, I reached out and called the Speaker. However, she was on the plane back for her husband, so we were able to communicate via text.’
He said Pelosi had told him her husband’s surgery for a skull fracture and arm injury “went well.”
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy spoke out publicly to condemn the attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband during an appearance on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures
The intruder had attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer after police arrived on the scene.
“I wanted to convey that our thoughts and prayers were with her and her family, with Paul, and we hope for a speedy recovery for him, and that we can stop this crime across our country,” McCarthy said.
“Of course this person seems insane.”
His commentary on the Sunday show is the first public statement McCarthy has made about the incident, although his spokesman Mark Bednar told Voice of America on Friday that the leader spoke to Pelosi privately to “check in.”
Ocasio-Cortez on Saturday compared McCarthy’s lack of a public statement to his defense of GOP Representative Paul Gosar, who was reprimanded for sharing a cartoon video in which he violently attacked the New York congresswoman.
“Last year a GOP congressman shared an image of himself killing me. When the House came to censorship, [GOP Leader McCarthy] defended him,” the firebrand progressive wrote on Twitter.
The House Speaker’s home in San Francisco was broken into while she was not at home by an intruder who asked, “Where’s Nancy?”
“Yesterday, a man who shared that member’s rhetoric tried to kill the Speaker and her husband. What does [McCarthy] said? Nothing. This is who he is.’
The attack was condemned on both sides of the aisle. However, Democrats also accused Republicans of fomenting and endorsing hateful rhetoric that led to the incident.
DePape had promoted various election fraud and COVID-19 conspiracy theories related to far-right talking points on his social media channels, as well as anti-Semitic content.
President Joe Biden linked the attack to the violent events at the US Capitol on January 6.
Speaking on Friday, Biden said of the attacker’s calls to ‘Where’s Nancy?’, ‘The same chant was used by this man they have in custody and that was used on January 6, the attack on the US Capitol.’
New York Progressive Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized McCarthy on Saturday morning for a lack of public response, comparing the incident to GOP Representative Paul Gosar who shared a cartoon video of him attacking her
“This is despicable. There is no place in America. There is too much violence – political violence – too much hatred, too much vitriol,” the president said.
And why do we think one party can talk about stolen elections since COVID is a hoax, [that it’s] all a bunch of lies, and it doesn’t affect people who might not be that well balanced? Why do we think it won’t change the political climate? Enough is enough is enough.’
Pelosi wrote a letter to House colleagues on Saturday evening thanking everyone for their well wishes and stating that her family had been “traumatized” by the ordeal.
“Our children, our grandchildren and I are heartbroken and traumatized by the life-threatening attack on our doll,” the speaker wrote.
“We are grateful for the prompt response from law enforcement and emergency services, and for the life-saving medical care he is receiving.”
She added, “Please know that the outpouring of prayers and warm wishes from so many in Congress is a comfort to our family and helps Paul make progress in his recovery.”