Paul Pelosi joins wife Nancy as portrait is unveiled at Capitol – John Boehner breaks down in tears

Paul Pelosi appeared with his wife Nancy Pelosi at a ceremony to unveil the portrait of the outgoing first lady president, the same day her alleged hammer-wielding attacker faced court charges.

The House speaker thanked her husband, who wore a fedora that covered much of his head, for standing by her during her two decades of Democratic leadership.

Paul Pelosi was hospitalized and underwent surgery for a fractured skull after he was allegedly attacked at his home with a hammer by intruder David DePape.

DePape, 42, appeared in court in San Francisco on Wednesday for an arraignment on state charges including attempted murder, residential burglary in the first degree, elder abuse, assault with a deadly weapon and threats to family members of public officials in connection with the attack on October 28. about Paul Pelosi, 82.

He has also been charged in federal court.

In a video of an interview played for the court, the conspiracy-obsessed DePape said his targets included not only Nancy Pelosi, but also California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Tom Hanks and Gayle Rubin, a professor at the University of Michigan. who writes about queer theory, sex and gender.

Pelosi announced four weeks ago that she would step down as Speaker of the House to usher in a younger era of leadership. Democrats chose Rep. Hakeem Jeffries to succeed her as her party leader, and Pelosi will continue as a rank-and-file member in the House.

During the portrait unveiling ceremony, former House Speaker John Boehner, who led House Republicans from 2011 to 2015 before being forced to retire due to opposition from right-wing Republicans in the Freedom Caucus he joked about being glad to be back at the Capitol.

“I could say I’m glad to be back, but…” Boehner said.

The House speaker thanked her husband, who wore a fedora that covered much of his head, for standing by her during her two decades of Democratic leadership.

Nancy Pelosi and former President John Boehner embrace during portrait unveiling ceremony

After the ceremony, Boehner greeted all the leaders present in the House and Senate, except for House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy.

At one point, Boehner choked noting how much his Democratic daughters admired the outgoing speaker. “You’re one tough cookie,” he told Pelosi.

‘Today’s younger generation has a saying: ‘game recognizes game’. And the fact is that no other speaker in the modern era, Republican or Democrat, has wielded the gavel with such authority or with such consistent results,” Boehner said.

After her comments, Pelosi walked over to Boehner and the two gave each other a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“I would have been a little disappointed if you didn’t get emotional,” Pelosi said of Boehner during her own remarks.

She quipped of the wine and cigar-loving former speaker: “My biggest challenge, the one I failed at, was getting him to quit smoking.”

At one point, Boehner choked with tears as she noted how much her Democratic daughters admired the outgoing speaker.

“You’re one tough cookie,” he told Pelosi.

Pelosi said she hoped to stay in the House to serve San Franciscans, calling it her “highest honor.”

Pelosi’s portrait will hang in the Speaker’s Gallery on Capitol Hill, a room off the House floor with a formal dress code and where no photography is allowed, only painted portraits.

Hers will be the first female portrait to be hung on the wall.

“Nancy Pelosi has made the world a better place for countless women and girls from all walks of life,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

‘Somewhere, a future lady speaker is waiting for the chance to make a difference. And when that day comes, she’ll be standing on the shoulders of my friend Nancy Pelosi.