Christy Smith, a Democrat running for Congress in California, says that her opponent, Rep. Mike Garcia, a Republican, owes Paul Pelosi and his family an apology after 42-year-old David DePape allegedly attacked the House Speaker’s 82-year-old husband at their San Francisco home early Friday morning.
“I’m calling it what it is. Radicalization and violence from extremists is the direct result of people like my opponent @RepMikeGarcia,” Smith said in a tweet on Friday afternoon. “Mr. Pelosi and the family are owed an apology from you Mike. The people of this country deserve better than your abject degenerate politics.”
Smith quote-tweeted a radio clip in which Garcia purportedly called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “evil.”
“The fundamental problem with Nancy Pelosi is that she’s evil. There’s no getting around it. There’s no other explanation for it,” Garcia purportedly says in the clip. “She’s not dumb. She’s not ignorant. She’s very politically savvy. And the bottom line is that she doesn’t want what’s best for the country. She wants what’s best for her party.”
In response, Garcia said the comments by Smith are “shameful.”
“I’m praying for Paul Pelosi and condemn violence against anyone, no matter who does it. After having my volunteers get assaulted and my family members’ lives threatened, I am disgusted by this violent attack. We need to hold these individuals accountable,” Garcia said. “For opportunists like @ChristySmithCA to politicize this for personal gain is shameful and heinous. Americans are sick of the violence. We need to support law enforcement and accept only law and order. My prayers are with Paul Pelosi.”
Smith replied to Garcia’s tweet, calling him a “gaslighting perpetrator.”
California congressional candidate Christy Smith and Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Calif.
(Amy Sussman/Getty Images | Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was assaulted early Friday morning with a hammer inside their San Francisco home.
San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said that David DePape, 42, is facing charges of attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary and other felonies in relation to the incident, which occurred after 2 a.m.
Police were responding to a wellbeing check and found DePape and Paul Pelosi struggling with a hammer, according to Scott, who said that officers saw DePape take the hammer away from Pelosi and then “violently assaulted” him.
A law enforcement source told Fox News that the suspect was shouting, “Where is Nancy, where is Nancy?”
PAUL PELOSI SAN FRANCISCO ATTACK: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT VIOLENT HOME INVASION
Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was severely beaten by an attacker who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday morning.
(Fox News)
DePape was then tackled by police officers and taken into custody. Police are investigating for a possible motive.
Two sources said that Paul Pelosi was targeted in the attack and severely beaten, suffering blunt force injuries to the head and body. He is being treated for several injuries, including bruising and severe swelling.
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FBI investigators are seen outside the home of Nancy and Paul Pelosi, where Paul was the victim of a violent home invasion on Friday.
(Flightrisk Fox News Digital)
Several federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigations, are investigating the attack, along with the San Francisco Police Department.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Garcia for comment.
Fox News’ Greg Norman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
