Politicians from across the political aisle reacted to the news that US House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband was injured during a break-in and attack at their California home.
The White House released a statement on behalf of Joe Biden, confirming that the president had spoken to Pelosi, his fellow Democrat, and expressed his support for Paul Pelosi’s recovery.
Biden also denounced the violence and called for the couple’s privacy to be respected.
“The president continues to condemn all violence, and asks that the family’s desire for privacy be respected”, the White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said in part.
The US Senate’s Democratic majority leader, Chuck Schumer, similarly decried Friday’s violence, calling the attack against Pelosi and her husband a “a dastardly act”.
“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,” Schumer said on Twitter.
Amid Republicans, many wished Paul a steady recovery and denounced the violence.
The Republican Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell, wished Pelosi a full recovery and shared his shock at the attack on Twitter: “Horrified and disgusted by the reports that Paul Pelosi was assaulted in his and speaker Pelosi’s home last night. 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.”
The House Republican whip, Steve Scalise, condemned the attack on Twitter and shared gratitude for investigators’ involvement.
Scalise, who was shot in an attack on a congressional baseball game in 2017, added, “Let’s be clear: Violence has no place in this country. I’m praying for Paul Pelosi’s full recovery.”
Meanwhile, Kentucky senator Rand Paul shared a message of recovery for Pelosi’s husband. But he also expressed bitterness at a 2020 tweet from Pelosi’s daughter about an attack Rand Paul suffered from a neighbor in 2017.
“No one deserves to be assaulted. Unlike Nancy Pelosi’s daughter who celebrated my assault, I condemn this attack and wish Mr Pelosi a speedy recovery,” Paul tweeted on Friday.
Paul Pelosi was attacked on Friday at the Pelosi’s San Fransisco residence while the California representative was in Washington DC.
The hammer-wielding intruder broke into the Pelosi home, allegedly shouting, “Where is Nancy?” in search of the top House Democrat.
The attack was not random, the Associated Press reported, and the attacker, who is in custody, allegedly targeted the Pelosi family residence.
Pelosi is currently in an area hospital after the violent attack and is expected to make a full physical recovery.
