Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was severely beaten by a hammer-wielding intruder who broke into the couple’s San Francisco home early Friday morning while shouting, “Where’s Nancy,” according to officials and reports.
Nancy Pelosi, 82, wasn’t in San Francisco at the time of the home invasion, her spokesman Drew Hammill said in a statement.
“Early this morning, an assailant broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi,” Hammill said. “The assailant is in custody and the motivation for the attack is under investigation.”
The attacker was armed with a hammer and specifically targeted the Pelosi home in the wealthy Pacific Heights neighborhood, sources told the Associated Press.
“Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?” the intruder yelled while confronting her husband, according to the AP sources.
Special agents with the U.S. Capitol Police California Field Office quickly responded to the residence. The suspect was in the custody of the San Francisco Police Department.
Paul Pelosi, 82, was severely beaten with the hammer and suffered blunt force trauma to his head and body, according to the AP sources.
He was hospitalized and was being treated by doctors for bruising, severe swelling and other injuries. He is expected to make a full recovery, Hammill said in his statement.
“The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time,” Hammill said.
Nancy Pelosi was with her protective detail at the time of the attack, U.S. Capitol Police said. As speaker, she is second in line to the presidency and receives around-the-clock police protection.
The House speaker just returned this week from a security conference in Europe and is due to keynote an advocacy event Saturday evening in Washington with Vice President Kamala Harris.
U.S. Capitol Police said they’re assisting the FBI and San Francisco police with a joint investigation into the break-in. Investigators from the department’s Threat Assessment Section have been dispatched from the East Coast.
The attack raises questions about the safety of members of Congress and their families as threats to lawmakers are at an all-time high almost two years after the deadly Capitol insurrection. The attack also comes just 11 days ahead of midterm elections in which crime and public safety have emerged as top concerns among Americans.
President Joe Biden and lawmakers from both parties reacted to the assault with shock and expressed their well wishes to the Pelosi family. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden has been in contact with Nancy Pelosi.
“The President is praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi’s whole family,” Jean-Pierre said. “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 president continues to condemn all violence, and asks that the family’s desire for privacy be respected.”
Harris said she and her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, were “appalled” by the attack. “The entire Pelosi family is in our hearts and we wish him a speedy recovery.”
“What happened to Paul Pelosi was a dastardly act," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York. “I spoke with Speaker Pelosi earlier this morning and conveyed my deepest concern and heartfelt wishes to her husband and their family, and I wish him a speedy recovery.”
Paul Pelosi recently made headlines in August, when he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DUI charges related to a May crash in Napa County, north of San Francisco. He was sentenced to five days in jail and three years of probation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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