Rick Scott calls attack on Paul Pelosi 'disgusting' but dodges questions about election conspiracies shared by alleged assailant - CNN

CNN  — 

Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who chairs the Senate Republicans’ run arm, connected Sunday called the attack connected House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, “disgusting” but dodged questions astir election conspiracy theories that were shared by the alleged attacker connected societal media.

“It’s disgusting, this unit is horrible,” Scott said connected “State of the Union” successful an interrogation with CNN’s Dana Bash. “We had a door-knocker successful Florida that was attacked. I mean, this worldly has to stop. … And my bosom goes retired to Paul Pelosi, and I anticipation helium has a afloat recovery.”

Asked by Bash if Republicans should bash much to cull mendacious conspiracy theories astir the 2020 predetermination and the January 6, 2021, insurrection that were shared connected societal media by Paul Pelosi’s alleged assailant, Scott did not straight respond.

“I deliberation what we person to bash is, one, we person to condemn the violence, and past we person to bash everything we tin to get radical – marque definite radical consciousness comfy astir these elections,” the legislator said.

“I deliberation what’s important is everybody bash everything we tin to marque these elections fair,” helium reiterated erstwhile Bash asked him again astir it.

An intruder, identified by constabulary arsenic David DePape, 42, confronted the 82-year-old Paul Pelosi with a hammer aboriginal Friday greeting astatine his San Francisco home, shouting, “Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?” according to a instrumentality enforcement source. The assailant attempted to necktie Pelosi up “until Nancy got home,” 2 sources acquainted with the concern told CNN.

The alleged assailant had posted memes and conspiracy theories connected Facebook astir Covid vaccines, the 2020 predetermination and the January 6 attack, and an acquaintance told CNN that helium seemed “out of interaction with reality.”

Meanwhile, Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, the seat of the House GOP run arm, condemned unit broadly successful an interrogation with CBS connected Sunday.

“There’s nary spot for unit play successful our society. Physical unit oregon unit against someone’s property,” Emmer, who heads the National Republican Congressional Committee, said erstwhile asked astir governmental violence. “The incidental successful San Francisco, tragic arsenic it is, I deliberation we request immoderate much accusation astir it. But we should each beryllium feeling for Paul Pelosi and his family. Hopefully, there’ll beryllium a 100% recovery.”

But Emmer refused to perpetrate to pulling advertisements targeting Nancy Pelosi. Nor would helium perpetrate to taking down a caller tweet, which included a video of him firing a weapon and read, “Enjoyed exercising my Second Amendment rights … Let’s #FirePelosi,” telling CBS that helium disagreed that the tweet was dangerous.

“I ne'er saw anyone aft Steve Scalise was changeable by a Bernie Sanders protagonist trying to equate Democrat rhetoric with those actions. Please don’t bash that,” Emmer said.

On Sunday, Bash asked Scott if his successor arsenic Florida governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, should be an upcoming rally successful South Florida headlined by erstwhile President Donald Trump. The rally volition diagnostic Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who, similar DeSantis, is besides up for reelection adjacent month, but not DeSantis, amid reports that the narration betwixt Trump and the politician has grown distant ahead of a imaginable statesmanlike showdown successful 2024.

“That’s a prime everybody makes. I mean, I cognize President Trump is trying to marque definite we get a bulk backmost successful the Senate,” Scott said.

Scott, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, besides predicted the GOP volition power “52-plus” Senate seats aft the midterm elections.

“Herschel Walker volition triumph Georgia. We’re going to support each 21 of ours. (Mehmet) Oz is going to triumph against Fetterman successful Pennsylvania. And Adam Laxalt volition triumph successful Nevada,” helium said, portion besides expressing optimism astir GOP chances successful Arizona and New Hampshire and noting that Republicans “have got shots” successful Washington state, Colorado and Connecticut.

“This is our year,” Scott said.