Pelosi husband attacker's trial begins; own lawyer admits David DePape is a far-right conspiracy theorist

[generic_name]

@beschizza

Linker’s opening remarks referenced a litany of right-wing and QAnon-inspired beliefs about a sinister cabal of government officials and elites – Pelosi, Congressman Adam Schiff, George Soros, Hunter Biden, Tom Hanks, Gov. Gavin Newsom – using wealth and power to spread lies and send the country into ruin.

“See??! This just proves it was a false flag event! It’s TOO perfect.” --MAGA World (probably)

[sqlrob]

@FGD135

It’s not a crime when you believe it’s legal?

Who does he think he is, a cop?

[BakerB]

Again, he’s not contesting his actions, he’s contesting the charges. The feds charged him with the intent of doing this in retaliation for Pelosi doing her job. He claims he didn’t care about her job per se, but was going to kidnap her for other reasons, therefore the charges are incorrect and the trial invalid. I suspect this won’t get very far, but he might have to be charged locally, and thus potentially get much lighter sentencing.

[smulder]

@danimagoo

We admit our client did it, but it’s ok

“… our client clearly intended to murder the victim, but his intent was irrational so it doesn’t count”

[Otherbrother]

I don’t think the defendant did himself many favors today:

Paul Pelosi attack suspect surprisingly takes the stand to testify in his own...

Defense attorney Angela Chuang asked her client why he hit Paul Pelosi.

“To get to my other targets,” DePape testified, adding, “I felt really bad for him because we had a good rapport, and Paul was never a target.”

The defense has said DePape’s plans were to use Nancy and Paul Pelosi to lure a person the government has labeled “Target 1.”

That person has been identified as Bay Area scholar and University of Michigan professor Gayle Rubin.

“I felt bad about attacking the nice guy that I plead not-guilty to attacking, but I only did it because I wanted to lure someone else there to attack!”