Alleged attacker of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband charged with assault, attempted kidnapping

San Francisco: Following a violent assault on US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband last week, the alleged attacker has now been charged with assault and attempted kidnapping, the US attorney's office announced on Monday.
David DePape, 42, was accused of entering Pelosi's San Francisco home where he attacked the House Speaker's husband, Paul Pelosi, with a hammer and is now charged with one count of "attempted kidnapping of a US official," according to the US attorney's office for the Northern District of California, CNN reported. The charge of attempted kidnapping of the US official, Nancy Pelosi, carries a maximum of 20 years in prison as DePape allegedly shouted "Where's Nancy?" after breaking into their home. Moreover, the attacker is also booked for assault of an immediate family member of a US official which takes the charge to the maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
Paul Pelosi, the husband of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was attacked using a hammer at his California home on Friday morning and has undergone surgery for a skull fracture and other severe injuries.
"Mr. Pelosi was admitted to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital where he underwent successful surgery to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands. His doctors expect a full recovery," Drew Hammill, spokesperson for Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said in a statement, posted on her website.
The attacker was a male assailant who also tried to tie up Pelosi's husband as he was waiting for Nancy to arrive home.
The US House Speaker said that Paul was attacked at home by an assailant who acted with force, and threatened his life while demanding to see the Speaker. She, along with her family, also expressed gratitude and thanked people for the outpouring of support and prayers following the deadly attack on Paul Pelosi.
"The Speaker and her family are thankful for the outpouring of support and prayers from friends, constituents, and people around the country. The Pelosi family is immensely grateful to Mr. Pelosi's entire medical team and the law enforcement officers who responded to the assault. The family appreciates respect for their privacy during this time," the statement added.
US President Joe Biden described the attack on Pelosi's husband as "despicable." "This is despicable. There's no place in America -- there's too much violence, political violence. Too much hatred. Too much vitriol," Biden told a fundraising dinner Friday in Philadelphia.
In an official statement, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned the attack against Paul Pelosi and said that the prayers are with Speaker Pelosi's whole family.
She said that the US President is also praying for Paul Pelosi and also had a morning call with House Speaker Pelosi to express his support after this horrible attack.
"The President 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. 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 official statement read.
US Vice President Kamala Harris also had a call with Nancy Pelosi after Pelosi's husband, Paul, was attacked with a hammer at the couple's home in San Francisco. She called the attack an "act of extreme violence".
As per analysts, the US speaker is second in line to become the US President after the Vice President in case the President is incapacitated. (ANI)