A suspect broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco Friday morning and “violently assaulted” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, according to a spokesperson for the House speaker, Drew Hamill. According to a source briefed on the attack, the assailant first asked Paul Pelosi where his wife was.
The source told CBS News that before the assault occurred, the intruder confronted Paul Pelosi, shouting, “Where is Nancy, where is Nancy?”
San Francisco Police responded and were at the scene at 2:27 a.m. PT. Pelosi spokesperson Drew Hammill said the speaker was not at the residence at the time, and Paul Pelosi, 82, is in the hospital and expected to make a full recovery. The Associated Press, citing two people with knowledge of the investigation, reported that Pelosi “suffered blunt force injuries in the attack.” Two sources tell CBS News a hammer was used by the assailant to break into the speaker’s home.
Three sources tell CBS News a suspect has been arrested. U.S. Capitol Police confirmed the attack, and said the San Francisco Police Department has a suspect in custody. Law enforcement sources say that it is too early to say definitively what the motive for the attack was, but the possibility that it was politically motivated has not been ruled out. A male suspect is in custody but still learning new details about this suspect.
“Early this morning, an assailant broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi,” Hammill said in a statement Friday morning. “The assailant is in custody and the motivation for the attack is under investigation. Mr. Pelosi was taken to the hospital, where he is receiving excellent medical care and is expected to make a full recovery. The speaker was not in San Francisco at the time.”
“The speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time,” Hammill added.
U.S. Capitol Police are assisting the FBI and San Francisco Police Department with a joint investigation.
U.S. Capitol Police said special agents with their field office in California arrived on scene quickly, and a team of investigators was dispatched from the East Coast to help the FBI and local police with a joint investigation.
The top House Democrat will no longer attend an annual dinner Saturday for the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, D.C., the organization confirmed. She was supposed to be a featured speaker.
A senior congressional source familiar with the matter tells CBS News U.S. Capitol Police is considering additional protection for families of congressional leadership in response to the attack on Paul Pelosi. Congressional leaders travel with multiple officers from the Capitol Police’s dignitary protection department, but their spouses and children do not, which is why there was no protection present when the assailant broke into the Pelosi residence Friday morning.
Lawmakers of both parties shared their responses to the attack on social media.
“I wish Mr Pelosi well & pray for a quick recovery Everyone deserves 2b respected & violence is never okay,” Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley tweeted. And Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier, who represents San Mateo, about 20 miles from San Francisco, said in a tweet, “Thank God @SpeakerPelosi‘s husband Paul is safe after being attacked in their home by an assailant. While the motive is still unknown we know where this kind of violence is sanctioned and modeled.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement that he had spoken with Pelosi and called the assault on her husband “a dastardly act.” And Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he was “Horrified and disgusted” by the reports of the assault, and “Grateful to hear that Paul is on track to make a full recovery and that law enforcement including our stellar Capitol Police are on the case.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden 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,” Jean-Pierre said. “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.”
The Pelosis have been married since 1963, and have five children.
— Michael Kaplan, Pat Milton and Jeff Pegues contributed to this report.
This is a developing story.
