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Police Chief Names 42-Year-Old Suspect In Attack On Speaker's Spouse; McConnell: "Horrified And Disgusted" By Attack On Paul Pelosi; Exclusive Interview With Nation's First Second Gentleman. Aired 3- 3:30p ET

Aired October 28, 2022 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[15:00:20]

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN SENIOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS ANALYST: It is the top of the hour on CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Bianna Golodryga.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: I'm Victor Blackwell.

The man accused of the brutal attacks of Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul is now facing charges of attempted homicide, elder abuse, burglary among other felonies. Last hour, San Francisco Police identified that 42-year-old man who allegedly assaulted Paul with a hammer overnight in the Pelosi home. The House Speaker was not there. She was in Washington.

Now, a source tells CNN that the intruder yelled: "Where's Nancy?" before the attack. CNN has also learned that the suspect posted conspiracy theories online about the January 6th attack and the 2020 election.

GOLODRYGA: But the Police Chief has yet to confirm a motive. He detailed what the three officers encountered when they reached the house.

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CHIEF WILLIAM SCOTT, SAN FRANCISCO POLICE: When the officers arrived on scene, they encountered an adult male and mister - Pelosi's husband, Paul. Our officers observed Mr. Pelosi and the suspect both holding a hammer. The suspect pulled the hammer away from Mr. Pelosi and violently assaulted him with it. Our officers immediately tackled the suspect, disarmed him, took him into custody, requested emergency backup and rendered medical aid.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Now the Chief said both Paul Pelosi and the intruder then went to the hospital. The Speaker's office says her husband is expected to make a full recovery.

CNN's Jamie Gangel and Evan Perez are here, and CNN's Josh Campbell is at the scene of the Pelosi home in San Francisco. Josh, what is going on there behind you right now?

JOSH CAMPBELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'll step aside here and show you, this is now a crime scene. This is the residence of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Police have both sides of the street blocked off. We've seen a number of law enforcement personnel here, dozens at times as well as numerous special agents with the FBI. They had officers from the San Francisco Police Bomb Squad out here as well. They just departed, but a lot of evidence processing now underway.

Again, we know that this incident took place just around 2:30 am here at the residence and what police say is that the suspect was engaged in an assault on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband. Now, according to our colleague Jamie Gangel, this individual who's been identified as 42-year-old, David DePape, had yelled inside this house: "Where's Nancy? Where's Nancy?"

Again, it appears as though his target was the House Speaker herself. Police say that as they walked toward the two men, they were struggling over a hammer and the suspect allegedly started assaulting Mr. Pelosi with the hammer. Police a tackle that individual. He was taken to the hospital. Mr. Pelosi was taken to the hospital as well. We're told that he's expected to survive but did receive serious medical treatment.

And we're learning from some of our great investigative team here at CNN more about this individual, particularly this very chilling online presence and numerous fake Facebook posts. We see this individual posting conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, about COVID vaccines, about the January 6 Investigative Committee, additionally posting about Mike Lindell, the pillow guy who has obviously been a proponent of so many of these falsehoods regarding the 2020 election.

And so as other police are saying that they're not prepared to announce a motive yet, we're learning a lot just by looking into his background. Finally, we're told by the District Attorney that he will be charged with numerous crimes including: attempted homicide and assault as well as elder abuse.

But even though he's in custody right now, these officers behind me continue to process that scene. We know that prosecution will be down the road and they will obviously have to build a - an airtight case here, which involves gathering a lot of the evidence that's been happening over my shoulder, guys.

BLACKWELL: Jamie Gangel, Josh just referenced your reporting there and I know you've been getting more information about what happened during this attack and what's happened since, what do you know?

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: So let me just give you a quick update on what we're hearing about his condition. I'm told from multiple sources familiar with his care that while we haven't gotten an official update from the hospital yet, that he was taken into surgery this morning, that he is in surgery right now. I'm told the family was assured by doctors that he would make a full recovery. But we should not make light of any of this. We really don't know the

full extent of his injuries yet and, as we know, he was hit multiple times with a hammer.

[15:05:59]

Just to go back to the attacker for a minute, our sources tell us that while he - before he was hit when the assailant went into the house, the first thing he did when he confronted Paul Pelosi was to shout: "Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?"

For those of you who remember the January 6th riots at the Capitol, it is just eerily reminiscent of what some of those rioters were saying that day as they were walking through the Capitol. And I'm also told that the attacker was trying to tie him up, tie Paul Pelosi up and that when the police arrived, they heard him saying we're waiting for Nancy.

So that is the latest we're hearing. I'm hoping to have a little bit more on his surgery shortly.

GOLODRYGA: Just chilling details there, Jamie. And it's worth noting that the Pelosi home has been vandalized in the past, so many know where that home is located in San Francisco and who resides there.

Evan, what more are you learning about the suspect who is now in police custody?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's a very disturbing picture that's emerging from some of these social media postings. Are investigative team has spent a lot of time going through this. Of course, this is - these are the things that the FBI, that the San Francisco Police and the Capitol Police are also now going through as they try to put together a picture and a motive really of why this occurred today.

We - our team has talked to relatives from - back home in Powell River, British Columbia, where he apparently grew up, David DePape grew up. And through the years, we - a lot - we've looked at a lot of these - his social media postings, a lot of them are from 2021 and they paint a very disturbed picture of somebody who's obsessed with everything from religious conspiracies to, as Josh just mentioned, some of the conspiracies related to the 2020 election.

Of course, you saw that that Facebook posts related to Mike Lindell and the CEO of My Pillow, who has been trafficking in some of these stolen election conspiracy theories. There are some transphobic images and some of the postings that he has there as well as things, some of the themes related to the COVID vaccine.

We've talked to somebody who knew him well when he was apparently house sitting for her home and lost touch with him in part because of their - they were disturbed by some of the things he talked about and some of the - some of his tendencies with regard to, perhaps, violence. And so that's one of the concerns that obviously would come into play

here for law enforcement as they tried to figure out why he did this and what - possibly whether this is a - something that is the U.S. Attorney and the FBI are going to be handling going forward or whether this remains in the hands of the local district attorney and the San Francisco Police.

This obviously is now, certainly from what Jamie Gangel is being told by her sources, this is clearly somebody who was driven by some of these conspiracies, came to that home, looking for the Speaker of the House of Representatives and instead found her husband and started attacking him.

The police were, of course, able to see that happening as it was going on and were able to intervene. Thankfully, he appears to be okay or at least - after his medical care, they expect that he's going to be okay. But it does raise a lot of concern for some of these public figures, some of whom don't have this kind of security and don't have this kind of ready care when something like this might happen.

BLACKWELL: Yes, important points there and as the investigative team is now digging through social media, calling contacts, painting a portrait of this suspect that is quite alarming. And it looks like people knew some time ago that there was something wrong that there was some potentially extremism here.

Let's bring in now CNN Law Enforcement Analyst, former D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer, Michael Fanone. He nearly died after Capitol rioters assaulted him on January 6th last year.

GOLODRYGA: Also with us, Dana Bash, CNN's Chief Political Correspondent and Co-Host of CNN STATE OF THE UNION, and Errol Louis, CNN Political Commentator and a Political Anchor for Spectrum News and Josh Campbell will remain outside of the Pelosi home for us as well.

Michael, if I can just begin with you, we heard from the Police Chief that they were alerted to - at 2:27 this morning to what he said was a priority wellbeing check. Can you explain to us what that is?

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MICHAEL FANONE, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: I mean from what it sounds to me was that somebody outside of the home had concerns about Mr. Pelosi's well being and that they may have notified police and police responded to check on his welfare.

GOLODRYGA: Just like a neighbor or something may have been notified.

FANONE: Neighbor or family member. I mean, that would be my best guess.

BLACKWELL: Dana, we are seeing responses from Republicans and Democrats condemning the violence, condemning the attack. Are we seeing any condemnation of any other things that are connected to this man? What's the reaction you're seeing online from leaders on Capitol Hill? DANA BASH, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: We're seeing some

condemnations, you're right. Mitch McConnell, even Ted Cruz put out statements. We still haven't, unless it's happened as we're speaking, seen anything of the sort from Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican leader. We have seen Democrats calling on him to very vehemently condemn this.

Again, it's just happening but that is what Democrats, her colleagues, are saying in a very, very aggressive way. Because they're hoping that perhaps this is a moment when finally everybody will stop and say we have to not continue to stoke this. Now, we should also have our eyes very wide open, because that's what everybody thought after January 6th that, oh, well, when the Capitol was attacked, everybody would say, okay, we have to turn the temperature down.

But this is - there's no question that given what our colleagues have reported about what is on his social media page, what Jamie and others are reporting about what he said to Paul Pelosi: "Where is Nancy?" The identical phrase that we heard with our own ears from the writers on January 6th, it's all connected and it's connected by a very dark and very dangerous undertone. It's not even an undertone, it's a completely above the surface now of anger and hostility across the board. And it's got to stop.

GOLODRYGA: And Errol, it's important to remember what environment we're currently in, a heightened state of alert at polling stations across the country and even here in New York City where the NYPD just this week urge elevated vigilance as Election Day is approaching. Early voting is beginning in the city. There was no specific threat that they spoke to at polling stations and sites. But talk about the larger issue at hand here about the tension and the fear, I guess, about other attacks that could possibly happen.

ERROL LOUIS, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Bianna, this has been building for a number of years, and as has often been said, the threat to democracy, the final battle to save democracy is not what you see in a Hollywood movie where there are violins and trumpets that signal that this is the critical moment. Right now is the critical moment.

We're talking about a violent attack on the second in line to become President of the United States. Now, members of Congress, including the Speaker, they're not Secret Service protectees. They're not automatically given a full complement of officers from the Secret Service to watch their whole family.

There's a combination of private security, the Capitol Police. We have an open society. We want to be able to see our elected representatives. Even high powered ones like Nancy Pelosi. You want to see them at the local restaurant or at the supermarket and the attackers who are trying to overthrow and subvert democracy are using that against them. It is a very, very serious problem.

And by the way, we should not let Meta or Facebook off the hook. They finally took down the pages apparently posted and the conspiracy theories and violent threats posted by this suspect today. Why did it take so long? When will they ever get it together? When will they implement some standards and understand that they, like the rest of us, have to defend our democracy?

BLACKWELL: Michael, you were with Capitol Police for quite a long time. You served while there were other attacks on law - members of Congress. When something like this happens and we'll take the resources into context and there are often shortages of officers, what changes? Are there different approaches to protecting the members after there is an attack like we saw after the baseball game, after we saw at Pramila Jayapal's house?

FANONE: Actually, I was not with the United States Capitol Police for very long. I served there from '01 into '03 when I lateral to the Metropolitan Police Department, which is the traditional law enforcement agency.

[15:15:00]

But I am familiar with the United States Capitol Police and their procedures, obviously, in the aftermath of events like that, there's a heightened posture when it comes to securing certain individuals. That being said, that department has less than 1,800 officers. They are grossly unmanned or undermanned when it comes to providing that level of security to the amount of members of Congress who are currently receiving numerous threats.

Unfortunately, those threats have become commonplace. Just today, a Pennsylvania man pled guilty to threatening to kill a member of Congress that was released in the Southern District of New York by the Department of Justice. But the U.S. Capitol Police does not have the resources to provide that level of protection. Many members of Congress that I've spoken with in recent months have expressed frustration while they've taken their security concerns to the Capitol Police and have been met with indifference. And that sought - had them seek security outside of traditional means looking for private security companies to supplement the security that they might receive from Capitol Police.

GOLODRYGA: So Dana, we've heard reports now both on the record and off the record from officials of both sides of the aisle. I mean, we just - a few months ago that Susan Collins said that she was concerned that a member of Congress and elected official could actually be killed, given the heightened tension and rhetoric and threats out there. Is this one issue perhaps that Congress can come together on and provide the resources, provide the funding for these understaffed police departments across the country, it appears, not just in Washington?

BASH: I wish the answer would be yes, but I would not hold my breath on that, the question - and the reason is what we talked about before. I mean, if it's not going to happen after January 6, when's it going to happen? And the things that Michael Fanone is talking about, what you're talking about, the incredibly understaffed and overwhelmed law enforcement that are just - they're just trying to do their best every single day.

Well, that's the sort of way to protect and that's the reaction. What about the action? What about leaders doing what they used to do, which is joining together across the aisle to take the temperature down? What about that? Not only is that not happening, the opposite is happening.

And it is - there's no question that would Susan Collins was warning about, what others are talking about, I mean, I'm sure neither of you has talked to a member of Congress or anybody in the public sphere who has not told you about their concern about security for themselves, for their family and for their staff. It is everywhere. It is bipartisan.

Although, let's be honest, we've seen a lot more since January 6th and since the former President put out these election lies and continues to stoke them. But it continued - let me just say, I was just in Arizona and I ran into Ron Barber who was Gabby Giffords chief of staff the day she was shot. He was shot. He was shot through the face. He was shot on - in the leg. He still walks with a cane. He then actually was elected briefly to her seat.

And we were talking about this very thing about the fact that violence is out there and it is - it was bad then and it was shocking when a member of Congress and staff and people there were attacked by a lunatic. But if you have a lunatic like that still around and they're being spun up by leaders and by conspiracies who agree with those leaders, what do you expect?

BLACKWELL: Of course, we will continue to cover the breaking news as we get more information both from Josh there at the scene and our teams who are looking into this suspect, who has now been - was in a hospital, in custody and he will then be processed on these felonies with which he will face. Let's thank Michael Fanone, Dana Bash, Errol Louis, Josh Campbell for the reporting and analysis. We'll take a quick break and we'll be back.

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[15:23:49]

BLACKWELL: All right. We're getting new information on Paul Pelosi, the husband of the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.

GOLODRYGA: Let's get right back to Jamie Gangel.

Jamie, what are you hearing now?

GANGEL: So we have some new details from a source familiar with the matter. I'm told that Speaker Pelosi was actually able to speak to her husband earlier today. This was after the attack before he was taken into surgery and we are told that there were injuries to his head, that the surgery involves injuries to his head. We do not have any further details on the extent of those injuries or what the surgery involves.

Just to remind everyone, we were previously told that the doctors assured the family that he would make a full recovery. But let's just keep in mind how serious this is. This was a violent attack. Paul Pelosi is 82 years old and our reporting is that the attacker hit him multiple times with a hammer.

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GOLODRYGA: Jamie, thank you for this new reporting that the Speaker had a chance to speak with her husband earlier today. You'll continue to let us know when you hear of any further developments. Thank you.

BLACKWELL: All right. CNN's Phil Mattingly is at the White House. The President, we understand, is also reacting to the news of this attack. What did he say?

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right, Victor. The President actually spoke with Speaker Nancy Pelosi this morning, condemned the violence, made clear to the Speaker that he was thinking of the family and that his prayers were with the family. He had also been informed that Paul Pelosi, the Speaker's husband was expected to have a full recovery.

Now, the President doesn't have any public events throughout the course of this day. He's actually in Delaware right now. He's expected to head to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for a Democratic fundraising rally later this evening. I think it's probably likely you will hear him say something about this at that fundraising rally.

Now, officials here have been very clear that they want to respect the family's privacy. They have been keeping the President updated on what they know and when they know it. I think more broadly, obviously, there's very real concern about the broader ramifications of things.

There's been a lot of concern, kind of across Washington, about whether or not there would be violence, whether or not the heated rhetoric that had really gone well past heated over the course of the last several years, would end up having a very awful result to some degree. They have not said anything about the investigation or said anything about potential motives, anything of that nature, but there has been kind of a broader concern and that really goes across both parties to some degree.

For now, though, the President, really sticking to what his statement was this morning. Again, he did speak to Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House. And again, he speaks at a democratic fundraiser in Philadelphia later tonight. That will be an election-related fundraiser. But obviously the most prominent Democrat outside of the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House, probably fairly likely he weighs in there about what he knows and maybe expands a little bit on the statement that he released earlier today after speaking to Speaker Pelosi, guys.

GOLODRYGA: Yes. Of course, everyone there at the White House has their thoughts and prayers with the speaker's husband right now as he is recovering. Phil Mattingly, thank you. Well, as Phil mentioned, President Biden and Vice President Harris will team up in Pennsylvania today for a rare joint appearance on the campaign trail. Meanwhile, our Dana Bash sat down with the second gentleman, Doug Emhoff. Here's a preview of that exclusive conversation.

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BASH: I think there are a lot of men who intellectually want to support their female partners and then when it gets to that point, it's hard.

DOUGLAS EMHOFF, SECOND GENTLEMAN OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes.

BASH: It's hard on your ego. You say you have a healthy ego. Have there been moments like that?

EMHOFF: Yes. I - like I said, I - you have to put your ego aside, though, and it's not about you. And I will be on - I'll be giving speeches and one of the things I say is men need to support women.

Don't just think you're being supportive. Don't just say you're being supportive, be supportive.

One, it's the right thing to do and then men, okay, you need to actually do it. Don't just think you're doing it and then the women in the audience started looking around and smiling. Sometimes it's hard and sometimes it's not what you expect, but it's the right thing to do. And if I can set an example, doing it, I'm very grateful for that.

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BLACKWELL: Join Dana tomorrow night for The Second Gentleman that begins at 8 pm right here on CNN.

GOLODRYGA: Well, the major Texas newspaper is demanding that the state's top law enforcement chief resign. One family who lost their nine-year-old daughter in the Uvalde massacre will join us up next to react.

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