Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she has been issued a third-party subpoena as the case against the man accused of attacking her husband in their California home last year moves forward.
The House Clerk read a statement from Pelosi during the chamber’s proceedings on Nov. 2, which did not explicitly say what criminal case prompted the subpoena.
“This is to notify you formally pursuant to Rule Eight of the rules of the House of Representatives, that I, the Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Emerita, and US Representative for the 11th Congressional District of California, have been served with third-party subpoenas from the prosecution and the defendant to produce documents in a criminal case and United States District Court for the Northern District of California,” read the clerk.
“After consultation with the Office of General Counsel, I have determined that compliance with the subpoenas is consistent with the privileges of the House to the extent it requires the production of non-privileged information. The responses to the subpoenas will be identical,” the statement added, per The New York Post.
Pelosi’s office declined to comment on the subpoena, according to Newsmax.
David DePape reportedly entered the Pelosis’ San Francisco home in the early hours of Oct. 28, 2022. While the details of the attack are somewhat unclear, Paul Pelosi was reportedly able to call emergency services around 2 a.m. He and DePape were said to have been struggling over a hammer when first responders arrived. DePape reportedly gained control of the hammer and attacked Pelosi, who was hospitalized and underwent brain surgery for a skull fracture.
DePape pleaded not guilty to the 10 charges brought against him by the state of California in November, including attempted murder, first-degree residential burglary, elder abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, and threatening the family member of a public official.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins described the attack on Mr. Pelosi as “politically motivated” during an interview in 2022.
A group of news organizations successfully sued to obtain body camera footage from the night of the incident as well as a recording of Mr. Pelosi’s 911 call released.
“This is just such a case where the public interest in openness is paramount. The defendant is accused of entering the residence of the then-Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (second in the Presidential line of succession) with the apparent intent of, at minimum, grievously injuring her, and attacking her husband,” the filing stated. “The nature of the alleged crime justifies a maximum amount of transparency.”
Judge Stephen M. Murphy of the San Francisco Superior Court granted the request.
In August, the Pelosis voluntarily agreed to give both the prosecution and the defense access to their home. The defense had requested access, arguing it was necessary for them to understand the events of the night of the alleged attack.
The trial is set to begin this month.
