Paul Pelosi appeared beside wife Nancy Pelosi at a ceremony to unveil the portrait of the outgoing first Madam Speaker, the same day his alleged hammer attacker appeared in court.
The House Speaker thanked her husband, donning a suit and a fedora that covered much of his head, for remaining by her side throughout her two decades of Democratic leadership, before the curtains back to reveal the portrait.
Paul Pelosi was hospitalized and underwent surgery for a skull fracture after he was allegedly attacked in his home with a hammer by intruder David DePape.
DePape, 42, appeared in court in San Francisco Wednesday for an arraignment on state charges including attempted murder, first-degree residential burglary, elder abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, and threatening family members of public officials in connection with the October 28 attack on Paul Pelosi, 82.
He has also been charged in federal court.
In a video of the interview played for the court, conspiracy-obsessed DePape said that his targets included not only Nancy Pelosi but also California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Tom Hanks and Gayle Rubin — a University of Michigan professor who writes on queer theory, sex and gender.
Paul Pelosi appeared beside wife Nancy Pelosi at a ceremony to unveil the portrait of the outgoing first Madam Speaker, the same day his alleged hammer attacker appeared in court
The House Speaker thanked her husband, donning a suit and a fedora that covered much of his head, for remaining by her side throughout her two decades of Democratic leadership
Speaker Nancy Pelosi and ex-Speaker John Boehner hug and kiss during the portrait unveiling ceremony
Pelosi announced weeks ago she would step down as House Speaker to make way for a younger era of leadership. Democrats elected Rep. Hakeem Jeffries to succeed her as leader of their party, and Pelosi will continue on as a rank-and-file member in the House.
During the portrait unveiling ceremony, ex-House Speaker John Boehner, who led House Republicans from 2011 to 2015 before being forced to retire due to opposition by right-wing Freedom Caucus Republicans, joked about being glad to be back on Capitol Hill.
‘I could say I’m glad to be back, but….’ Boehner said.
After the ceremony, Boehner greeted all the House and Senate leaders in attendance, except House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy.
At one point Boehner choked up as he noted how much his Democratic daughters admired the outgoing speaker. ‘You’re one tough cookie,’ he told Pelosi.
‘The younger generation today has a saying – ‘game recognizes game.’ And the fact of the matter is no other speaker in the modern era, Republican or Democrat, has wielded the gavel with such authority or such consistent results,’ Boehner said.
After his flattering remarks Pelosi went over to Boehner and the two gave each other a hug and kiss on the cheek.
‘I would have been a little disappointed if you did not get emotional,’ Pelosi said of Boehner during her own remarks.
She joked of the wine and cigar-loving ex-speaker: ‘My biggest challenge, which I failed at, was to get him to stop smoking.’
At one point Boehner choked up crying as he noted how much his Democratic daughters admired the outgoing speaker.
You’re one tough cookie,’ he told Pelosi
Pelosi said she looked forward to staying on in the House to serve San Franciscans, calling it her ‘highest honor.’
Pelosi’s portrait will hang in the Speaker’s Gallery in the Capitol, a room outside the House floor with a formal dress code and where no pictures – only painted portraits – are allowed.
Hers will be the first female portrait to hang on the wall.
‘Nancy Pelosi has made the world a better place for countless women and girls from all walks of life,’ said Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
‘Somewhere out there, a future madam speaker waits for a chance to make a difference. And when that day comes, she will be standing on my friend Nancy Pelosi’s shoulders.’