Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin under fire for ‘vile’ quip following Paul Pelosi attack
Paul Pelosi #PaulPelosi
Just hours after authorities say Paul Pelosi was beaten with a hammer during a home invasion, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin made a quip during a campaign rally about sending his wife, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, “back to California” after next month’s midterm elections.
“Speaker Pelosi’s husband, they had a break in last night in their house and he was assaulted, there’s no room for violence anywhere, but we’re going to send her back to be with him in California,” Youngkin, a Republican, said. “That’s what we’re gonna go do.”
Youngkin seems to be insinuating that, if Republicans retake the U.S. House, Speaker Pelosi would retire. He made his comments at a rally for Republican candidate Yesli Vega, who is running to unseat the prominent Democratic lawmaker Abigail Spanberger.
Perhaps sensing the tastelessness of Youngkin’s remark, many members of the modest Virginia crowd remained silent while a few cheered. Conflicting media reports make the nature of Pelosi’s injuries unclear. NBC Bay Area initially reported Pelosi underwent brain surgery, then updated their report to say he had surgery “on his head.”
Unsurprisingly, many Democratic lawmakers from Virginia were quick to call out their governor.
“This is a disgusting, vile, and crass comment by Governor Youngkin,” Rep. Donald McEachin said on Twitter. “While Paul Pelosi is currently undergoing brain surgery, Glenn Youngkin takes it as an opportunity for political jabs. This reprehensible behavior is beneath the dignity of his office.”
Rep. Spanberger also took to Twitter to say Youngkin should apologize.
“A father, grandfather, and husband is in brain surgery after an act of heinous political violence and at a political rally for my opponent, our Governor taunts his wife because he disagrees with her politics?” she said on Twitter. “I hope he’ll apologize and show humanity towards the Pelosi family.”
The Virginia Democratic Party as a whole also put out a statement on Twitter, calling Youngkin’s comments “disgusting” and “unbecoming.”
“The Speaker’s husband was brutally attacked and currently fighting for his life and Youngkin is making jokes,” the party said.
San Francisco police say 42-year-old David DePape broke into the Pelosi’s Pacific Heights residence on Broadway near Divisadero just before 2:30 a.m. Friday morning. At the scene, police say they observed both Pelosi and DePape holding onto the same hammer before DePape pulled the hammer away and “violently assaulted” Pelosi with it.
DePape specifically targeted Pelosi’s house and was looking for the Democratic leader, calling out, “Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?” the Associated Press reported.