- The Capitol police have 1,800 cameras, yet failed to monitor the video feed outside Nancy Pelosi's home.
- Law enforcement told The Washington Post the House Speaker receives the most death threats.
The Capitol police have 1,800 cameras used to monitor the Capitol and the homes of certain lawmakers and yet, nobody was watching the video feeds outside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's home the night her husband was attacked, according to a report from The Washington Post.
Several current and former law enforcement officials spoke with The Post anonymously and said if the Capitol Police were going to prevent an attack at any member of Congress's home, they had the best chance of doing so at Pelosi's. One official added that Pelosi is the subject of the most violent death threats compared to any other lawmaker.
Police attribute the level of threats the house speaker receives due to her being a woman, being second in line to the presidency, and being targeted by Republicans, per The Post.
On Friday, suspect David DePape broke into the Pelosi residence and assaulted Paul Pelosi, the speaker's husband, with a hammer in a "politically motivated" attack. On Tuesday, DePape pleaded not guilty to charges including attempted murder and kidnapping.
The Post reported the Capitol Police installed cameras around the House Speaker's property more than eight years ago and that she has a 24/7 security detail. The night of the attack, most of her security detail traveled with her to Washington, DC, and officers only partially monitored the video feeds outside her home, as per the outlet.
In a press release on Tuesday, Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said that while there have been improvements, such as plans to hire 280 more officers this year, the country's "political climate" is going to require "additional layers of physical security."
Pelosi has been the target of violent threats before. In March 2019, a man in Florida called her office to tell staff that he would "come a long, long way to rattle her head with bullets" and that he would behead her "jihadist style," according to court documents from his trial.
Violent threats to lawmakers have increased dramatically in recent years, according to police. Data from the Capitol Police found that threats to Congressional lawmakers increased by 144% between 2017 and 2022.