The man accused of attacking the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told police he wanted to hold her hostage and “break her kneecaps,” authorities said, as he was charged with federal crimes.
David DePape, 42, confronted a sleeping Paul Pelosi in the couple’s San Francisco bedroom early on Friday morning and asked him where his wife was.
Court filings allege that he considered Mrs Pelosi “the leader of the pack” of lies told by Democrats.
“DePape also later explained that by breaking Nancy’s kneecaps, she would then have to be wheeled into Congress, which would show other members of Congress there were consequences to their actions,” the court filing said.
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.