David DePape Testifies: Paul Pelosi Was 'Never My Target'

David DePape, the man who struck Paul Pelosi on the head with a hammer after breaking into the home of Paul and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in October 2022, testified in his trial on Tuesday.

Details: DePape apologized to Paul Pelosi, stated that the husband of the former House Speaker was “never my target,” and that he broke into the Pelosi residence to interrogate Nancy Pelosi over what he believed to be a Democratic conspiracy against former President Donald Trump. DePape is charged with the attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official with intent to retaliate against the official over how they perform their duties. DePape’s defense team is arguing that DePape did not act out of a desire to retaliate against Nancy Pelosi’s official duties, but instead was motivated by online conspiracy theories. DePape also faces separate state charges for attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary and other felonies.

Key Quotes: DePape claimed he struck Paul Pelosi because his “plan was basically ruined,” adding that afterward he felt “really bad for him because we had a really good rapport and things were going good until the last second.”

How the Media Covered It: DePape’s testimony was covered moderately across the spectrum. Politico (Lean Left bias) broke down the defense’s argument, determining it to be a test of “what happens when certain far-out strains of digital-age American radicalism collide with the criminal justice system.”