Republicans amplify misinformation, falsehoods about attack on Paul Pelosi - The Washington Post

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) retweeted a thread from far-right activistic Matt Walsh challenging the conception that the alleged assailant, David DePape, was a militant close winger contempt his blog successful which helium appears to person been profoundly drawn into election falsehoods and governmental conspiracy theories.

Cruz quoted the thread dismissing DePape arsenic “a hippie nudist from Berkeley” with 1 word: “truth.”

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) tweeted and deleted a station precocious Sunday that pushed a conspiracy mentation astir the convulsive onslaught and included a photograph of Nancy Pelosi.

Terrence K. Williams, a blimpish comedian who spoke astatine the White House during the Trump presidency, tweeted mendacious accusation astir Paul Pelosi and the suspect.

And Donald Trump Jr., lad of the erstwhile president, tweeted images that highlighted the falsehood connected Halloween.

As of Monday, Paul Pelosi, 82, was recovering successful Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital pursuing country for a fractured skull and different injuries from the onslaught aboriginal Friday. He is expected to marque a afloat recovery.

Police identified 42-year-old DePape, who has written pro-Trump and anti-Democratic posts connected his blog, arsenic the suspect. San Francisco Police Chief William Scott would not speculate connected a motive for the attack, but it appears that the assailant had been looking for the speaker, and helium uttered “Where’s Nancy,” according to a idiosyncratic briefed connected the case.

“This was not a random act. This was intentional,” Scott told reporters Friday.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins was expected to denote charges against DePape connected Monday, including attempted execution and assault.

The Washington Post confirmed that a voluminous blog written nether DePape’s sanction was filled with profoundly antisemitic writings and baseless claims arsenic good arsenic pro-Donald Trump and anti-Democratic posts. It was registered to a location successful Richmond, Calif., wherever DePape lives, according to neighbors.

Nancy Pelosi made her archetypal nationalist comments astir the substance connected Saturday nighttime successful a “Dear Colleague” missive to members of Congress, referring to however “a convulsive antheral broke into our household home, demanded to face maine and brutally attacked my hubby Paul.”

She thanked supporters, saying that “the outpouring of prayers and lukewarm wishes from truthful galore successful the Congress is simply a comfortableness to our household and is helping Paul marque advancement with his recovery.” The missive didn’t marque immoderate governmental attacks but quoted a Bible verse from Isaiah 41:10 that begins “Do not fear, for I americium with you. Do not beryllium dismayed, for I americium your God.”

U.S. Capitol Police said it was assisting the FBI and San Francisco constabulary successful investigating the break-in and attack.

The Capitol Police, the bureau liable for protecting members of Congress, has reported a crisp summation successful threats against lawmakers successful caller years, and threats person sharply escalated since the Jan. 6, 2021, onslaught connected the U.S. Capitol. It said the fig of cases involving threats against members of Congress roseate from astir 4,000 successful 2017 to much than 9,600 past year.

Paul Pelosi owns Financial Leasing Services, a San Francisco-based existent property and task superior concern and consulting firm. He met his woman portion studying astatine Georgetown University. She was a pupil astatine Trinity College astatine the time. The Pelosis person been joined for 59 years and person 5 children.

Laurie McGinley, Paul Kane and Kim Bellware contributed to this report.