Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation.
Pelosi, 82, suffered blunt force injuries to his head and body, according to two people who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing probe.
The assailant specifically targeted the home, the people said, though it was not immediately clear if the residence was targeted for a robbery or for other reasons.
Pelosi was being treated by doctors for bruising, severe swelling and other injuries. Nancy Pelosi’s spokesperson, Drew Hammill, said he was expected to make a full recovery.
“The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time,” Hammill said in a statement.
Nancy Pelosi was with her protective detail in Washington at the time her husband was attacked.
Capitol Police, tasked with protecting congressional leaders, said the FBI and San Francisco police were also investigating. The suspect is in the custody of the San Francisco Police.
U.S. President Joe Biden called the House Speaker to offer sympathy and support, the White House said.
“The president is praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi’s whole family. This morning he called Speaker Pelosi to express his support after this horrible attack. He is also very glad that a full recovery is expected,” the statement said.
Republicans across the aisle also expressed shock and sent well wishes.
“We have been to many events with the Pelosis over the last two decades and we’ve had lots of occasions to talk about both of our families and the challenges of being part of a political family. Thinking about the Pelosi family today,” tweeted Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri.
Lawmaker threats on the rise
The attack raises questions about the safety of prominent public figures and their families as threats to lawmakers are at an all-time high almost two years after the deadly Capitol insurrection.
In 2021, Capitol Police investigated around 9,600 threats made against members of Congress, and members have been violently attacked in recent years. Members of Congress have received additional dollars for security at their homes, but some have pushed for more protection as people have showed up at their homes and as members have received an increasing number of threatening communications.
The country’s heated politics have spilled over into threats in some cases, including for election officials and volunteers working ahead of the Nov. 8 midterms. The pandemic has also seen public health and education officials threatened.
In addition, this year has seen a man with a gun arrested near Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Maryland home following the leak of the top court’s seismic ruling on abortion, while Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin was accosted onstage in New York this summer.
Former House Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head outside an Arizona grocery store in 2011, leaving Congress as a result of her serious injuries. Louisiana congressman Steve Scalise was severely injured when a gunman opened fire on a Republican congressional baseball team practice in 2017.
Previous home vandalism
Paul Pelosi is an investor whose wealth has made the House Speaker one of the richest members of Congress. The Pelosis have been married 59 years and have five adult children and several grandchildren.
In January 2021, their home was vandalized with graffiti saying “”Cancel rent” and “We want everything” painted on the house and a pig’s head left in front of the garage, according to local media reports.
That occurred not longer after her office was ransacked during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of Republican then-president Donald Trump, some of whom hunted for her during the assault.
Earlier this year, Pelosi pleaded guilty to misdemeanour driving under the influence charges related to a May crash in California’s wine country. He was sentenced to five days in jail and three years of probation.