Prosecutors say the attack on Pelosi's husband politically motivated

Federal prosecutors charged David DePape, 42, on Monday with influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by threatening or injuring a family member. DePape is suspected of assaulting Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. According to a complaint filed by the Justice Department, DePape told officers he wanted to tie up Pelosi and break her kneecaps so that she would have to be wheeled into Congress, which would show her fellow lawmakers what the consequences of their actions were. He allegedly attacked Paul Pelosi, 82, at his home in San Francisco.

Who is David DePape? He’s a Canadian citizen who legally entered the United States in 2000 but stayed long after his visa expired. Family members said he was estranged from them. He was known by some in San Francisco as a pro-nudity activist who embraced a range of conspiracy theories. The federal complaint states that DePape has lived for the past two years in a garage at a residence in Richmond, Calif.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Emily Belz’s report about political extremism and domestic terrorism.