Members of Congress categorical assist for Paul Pelosi after violent assault

United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul Pelosi arrive on the red carpet for the Time 100 Gala at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2019 in New York.

Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images

Members of Congress on Sunday continued to express their support for the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Paul Pelosi, after he was violently attacked by an intruder with a hammer on Friday.

The 82-year-old underwent successful surgery to repair a fractured skull and serious injuries to his right arm and hands, Pelosi’s spokesman said.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, a California Democrat, was in Washington, DC at the time of the incident, authorities said.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday that while people can have heated discussions about political issues, the violence must stop.

“It’s disgusting. This violence is horrible,” Scott said. “This stuff needs to stop.”

David DePape, 42, has been identified by police as the suspect who used a hammer during the attack on Paul Pelosi.

He allegedly searched for the speaker of the house and shouted, “Where’s Nancy, where’s Nancy?” before attacking her husband, a source told NBC.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., told NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday that Speaker Pelosi has been slandered and threatened for years and it is clear the “vicious attack” was intended for her.

“I think it’s really important for people to realize that it’s not just this moment of this horrific attack, but that we’ve seen violence everywhere in our political system,” Klobuchar said.

There are different levels of protection for members of Congress, and Klobuchar said there could be ways to give protection to all members even if they are not lining up for the direct succession to the presidency.

In her first public comment since the attack, spokeswoman Pelosi said in a statement Saturday that she was “heartbroken” and traumatized by the attack, but her husband’s condition “continues to improve.”

“Please know that the outpouring of prayers and warm wishes from so many in Congress is a comfort to our family and is helping Paul make progress in his recovery,” she said in the statement.

DePape is charged with attempted manslaughter, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse and other offenses in the attack, police said.

The felony charges are being brought forward Monday and DePape is expected to be indicted Tuesday, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said on Twitter.