And a few Republicans are taking discover of the mismatch between GOP leaders’ official response to the assault — condemning it whereas rejecting any hyperlink to their campaign-trail assaults on Nancy Pelosi — and the much less delicate on-line response by occasion figures.
“Jerk retailer jokes and tweets when it’s the ‘different facet’ solely feeds an atmosphere that accepts political violence — violence that has and can proceed to occur to officers of each events which implies we spin one another up as our discourse spirals down additional,” Doug Heye, a former prime Republican Nationwide Committee official, mentioned in an interview.
One Home Republican, talking candidly a few colleague on situation of anonymity, described Higgins’ deleted tweet as “not applicable … we don’t need that in any political area, whether or not or not it’s Republican or Democrat.” The thought of any lawmaker’s partner getting attacked, this Republican added, “places us all in worry.”
Past Trump Jr. and Higgins, pro-Trump commentators from Charlie Kirk to former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr. additionally weighed in on-line to lift questions in regards to the investigation based mostly on unfounded and false claims. Amongst these baseless claims: {that a} third particular person answered the door when police arrived on the Pelosi residence, which San Francisco legislation enforcement has mentioned is unfaithful; and that DePape was in his underwear when apprehended, a falsehood taken from a since-corrected local news report.
A number of the conservative mockery that adopted the Pelosi residence invasion touched on Nancy Pelosi’s assist for an assault weapons ban: Larry Elder, the right-wing radio host and failed California gubernatorial candidate, tweeted that the Speaker was weighing legislation restricting “assault hammers.”
“The Left goes loopy as a result of not solely are we not BUYING the wacky, implausible Paul Pelosi story however we’re even LAUGHING over how ridiculous it’s,” Dinesh D’Souza posted Sunday morning to his 2.5 million Twitter followers. “What this implies is that we’re now not intimidated by their faux pieties. Their management over us has lastly been damaged.”
One other conservative Republican lawmaker, talking candidly on situation of anonymity in regards to the delicate subject, mentioned that reviews of the attacker’s involvement in nudist tradition are “choosing up steam” greater than different claims as a result of they offer credence to the argument that DePape was not a MAGA or Trump supporter.
DePape’s online activity earlier than the Pelosi residence invasion included antisemitism and alignment with false claims about voter fraud within the 2020 election.
To make sure, different Republicans have addressed the matter extra soberly. Former Vice President Mike Pence, who weathered the assault on the Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump within the tense hours of Jan. 6 whereas working intently with Pelosi, decried the assault on her husband. “That is an outrage and our hearts are with your complete Pelosi household,” Pence tweeted Friday.
As members of Congress mull potential safety enhancements following the Pelosi assault, the tone of Republican leaders’ responses is probably going to attract continued scrutiny. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), chair of the Home GOP marketing campaign arm, fielded tough questions on nationwide TV Sunday relating to a tweet he posted of himself firing a gun with the hashtag “#FirePelosi.”
“Management in each events within the Home have now suffered by way of assaults, and management must be clear that not solely are the assaults appalling however so, too, is the tradition that revels in violence when it occurs to an opponent,” Heye mentioned.
Jeremy B. White, Olivia Beavers and Jordain Carney contributed to this report.