David DePape, who allegedly attacked Paul Pelosi at his San Francisco home, is a "progressive," according to his ex-partner, Oxana Taub, and had been a radical nudist activist. He has nothing to do with the Republican Party or MAGA, despite the fact that the Democratic Party is trying to make political capital out of the attack. DePape, 42, maintained an active presence on social media, where he posted various conspiracy theories, according to The Hill.
Journalist Michael Shellenberger wrote on his Substack account that DePape:
Lived with a notorious local nudist in a Berkeley home, complete with a Black Lives Matter sign in the window and an LGBT rainbow flag, emblazoned with a marijuana symbol, hanging from a tree.
Not only that, photographs of the site show that it could be a homeless camp. On site there is a parked yellow school bus, where neighbors said they have seen DePape sleeping from time to time.
Biden points to Republicans
Joe Biden reacted to the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband by condemning political violence. However, one week before the midterms, the president’s priority was to criticize MAGA and the Republican Party, which the alleged perpetrator of the attack has no connection to, ignoring the progressive thinking of the alleged assailant:
This is despicable. There’s no place in America. There’s too much violence, political violence, too much hatred, too much vitriol. And what makes us think that one party can talk about stolen elections, COVID being a hoax, that it’s all a bunch of lies, and it not affect people who may not be so well balanced.
San Francisco police, who arrested the suspect at the mansion the Pelosi couple shares in Pacific Heights, detailed on their Twitter account the charges DePape faces following the assault: attempted homicide, elder abuse, aggravated battery with serious bodily injury and threats to a public official or family member.
DePape will be booked for attempted homicide, first-degree burglary, violent felony enhancement, assault w/ a deadly weapon, aggravated battery w/ serious bodily injury, elder abuse, inflict great bodily injury on elderly, dissuading a victim ...
- San Francisco Police (@SFPD) October 29, 2022
The attack occurred when DePape forced his way into the back door of the home in search of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, shouting "Where's Nancy?" When he couldn't find her, he lashed out at her husband, Paul, whom he allegedly struck in the head with a hammer several times. The assault resulted in Paul Pelosi having to undergo surgery on his skull. He is now recovering from the operation.
Conspiracy theories
Since Friday, DePape's life has been unraveling in the media. He is known for being very active online, where he participated in many conspiracy theories. People from his closest circle such as his daughter, Inta González, define him as "very consumed by darkness."
DePape posted on at least two blogs, where he supported various right-wing conspiracy theories. According to The Wall Street Journal it was common to see posts on his Facebook wall claiming that the 2020 election was illegal. He also shared memes and theories about Covid-19 vaccines. Both blogs have already been deleted by the police, as well as his various social media accounts.
A "mentally ill" person
All of his Internet activity shows that David DePape did have mental problems. This was confirmed by his ex-partner, Oxane Taub known as Gypsy. She is currently serving time at the California Institution for Women after being charged with kidnapping in 2021. She spoke with ABC7 about DePape.
She said that "he is mentally ill" and has been for several years and that he had no interest in politics when she met him, twenty years ago: "Well when I met him, he was only 20 years old, and he didn't have any experience in politics, and he was very much in alignment with my views and I've always been very progressive. I absolutely admire Nancy Pelosi," Oxane acknowledged.
Together they had two sons and a daughter, whom he raised until seven years ago. That’s when Oxane began to realize he had mental problems. For example, during her phone call with ABC7, Oxane recounts DePape’s state when he returned after disappearing for a year: "He came back in very bad shape. He thought he was Jesus. He was constantly paranoid, thinking people were after him," Taub said. "And it took a good year or two to get back to, you know, being halfway normal."
