The US government has issued a grave warning of a “heightened threat” to lawmakers during the November midterms – on the very same day that Nancy Pelosi’s husband was the victim of a violent hammer attack by a man said to be on the hunt for the House speaker.
The Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the National Counterterrorism Center and the US Capitol Police sent a joint intelligence bulletin to law enforcement partners across the country on Friday warning that a rise in domestic violent extremism (DVE) and “perceptions” of election fraud could lead to a spike in violence.
The “most plausible” threat will probably come from so-called “lone offenders” who may use election-related issues to justify violent ends, the agencies warned.
“Violence will largely be dependent on drivers such as personalised ideological grievances and the accessibility of potential targets throughout the election cycle,” the bulletin said.
Among the most “attractive targets” to extremists are lawmakers, government officials and personnel involved in elections including both political candidates and election workers, it warned.
“Potential targets of DVE violence include candidates running for public office, elected officials, election workers, political rallies, political party representatives, racial and religious minorities, or perceived ideological opponents,” the bulletin read.
The intelligence groups said that such extremist activity could take place both in the lead up to and during the midterm elections next month – as well as in the aftermath.
“We assess that election-related perceptions of fraud and DVE reactions to divisive topics will likely drive sporadic DVE plotting of violence and broader efforts to justify violence in the lead up to and following the 2022 midterm election cycle,” they warned.
“Following the 2022 midterm election, perceptions of election-related fraud and dissatisfaction with electoral outcomes likely will result in heightened threats of violence against a broad range of targets – such as ideological opponents and election workers.”
Such DVA activity is expected to make “election-related infrastructure, personnel, and voters involved in the election process as attractive targets—including at publicly accessible locations like polling places, ballot drop-box locations, voter registration sites, campaign events, and political party offices,” they added.
The chilling warning was issued the same day that a man violently attacked the husband of House speaker Nancy Pelosi with a hammer.
David DePape, a 42-year-old hemp jewellery maker, allegedly broke into the couple’s San Francisco home in the early hours of Friday morning searching for the Democratic lawmaker and shouting “Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?”
Ms Pelosi’s husband Paul Pelosi, 82, was home alone, with his wife away in Washington DC at the time.
Finding the House speaker missing, Mr DePape allegedly proceeded to try to tie Mr Pelosi up in the aim of waiting until she returned home.
The alarm was raised when Mr Pelosi managed to secretly dial 911 from his cellphone and spoke in “code” to a dispatcher, seemingly without his attacker noticing.
The 82-year-old left the line open as he spoke to Mr PePape, enabling the dispatcher to hear what was going on and send officers to the home.
When officers arrived on the scene, police said they saw both Mr Pelosi and Mr DePape with their hands on one hammer. At that moment, Mr DePape allegedly pulled the hammer away from Mr Pelosi and “violently assaulted” him with it, striking him at least once.
Mr Pelosi was taken to hospital where he underwent surgery for a skull fracture on Friday. He also suffered “serious injuries” to his right arm and hands but is expected to make a full recovery.
San Francisco Police chief William Scott said in a press conference that the attack was “intentional” and “not a random act”.
While he stopped short of detailing a motive, he referred to Ms Pelosi’s role as an elected official.
“It’s wrong. Our elected officials are here to do the business of their cities, their counties, their states and this nation. Their families don’t sign up for this to be harmed and it is wrong,” he said.
Police sources told KTVU that the assailant had a hit list of other lawmakers he planned to target, while a search of his online history reveals a deep-rooted obsession with extreme right-wing conspiracy theories about the Covid-19 vaccine and QAnon.
He also revealed his support forDonald Trump to run in 2024 with Tulsi Gabbard as his running mate.
Mr DePape was arrested at the scene on charges of attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary and other felonies.
Friday’s attack on Mr Pelosi comes amid a surge in reported threats against members of Congress and at a time when Mr Trump and his supporters continue to push false claims of 2020 election fraud.
Data from the US Capitol Police reveals that reports of “concerning statements and threats” to members of Congress have almost tripled in the last four years, rising from 3,939 in 2017 to 9,625 in 2021.
These threats reached a head on 6 January 2021 when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol – fuelled by his lies that the presidential election was “stolen” from him – to try to overturn Joe Biden’s win.
Chilling footage from that day reveals how some of the rioters hunted for Ms Pelosi, chanting “Where’s Nancy?” as they ransacked her office.
Others were seen chanting “Hang Mike Pence” after the vice president refused to attempt to overthrow the election in Mr Trump’s favour.
