As more details emerge about the man who attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home on Friday, it’s becoming clear that many of the conspiracy theories surrounding the incident are simply not true.
For instance, some have suggested that the attacker, 42-year-old Berkeley man David DePape, was acting on behalf of Donald Trump or other right-wing groups. However, in a sworn affidavit with the U.S. District Court of Northern California, FBI Special Agent Stephanie Minor – a domestic terrorism specialist assigned to the bureau’s San Francisco Field Office – has stated categorically that there is no evidence to support these claims.
DePape himself has also denied any political motivation for his actions, telling police that he planned to take Speaker Pelosi hostage, interrogate her, and possibly break her kneecaps – but not because of any affiliation with any political party or group.
So far, it appears that the only thing DePape has in common with the various conspiracy theories floating around about him is that he is mentally ill. According to the affidavit, he told police that he suffers from delusions and hallucinations, and acquaintances have described him as “delusional” and “paranoid.”
If anything, the ease with which DePape was able to breach security at Pelosi’s home – scaling a fence and breaking a window to gain entry – highlights the need for better protection for our nation’s leaders, not more baseless conspiracy theories.
As more details about the man who attacked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home on Friday emerge, it is becoming clear that many of the conspiracy theories surrounding the incident are simply not true. The attacker, 42-year-old Berkeley man David DePape, was not acting on behalf of Donald Trump or any other right-wing group, but rather suffers from mental illness and delusions. If anything, this attack highlights the need for better security for our nation’s leaders, not more baseless conspiracy theories.
