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Culture War Roundup for the week of October 31, 2022

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Since I don't see a thread about the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband, what the hell, I guess I'll make one.

I'll probably do a poor job of cataloguing the current state of known facts, but as best I can...

Paul Pelosi's attacker was a guy name David DePape, he appears to have a fairly checkered mental health history, if not homeless, appears to have lived on the edge of homelessness, appears to have social media history that doesn't have zero overlap various right wing issues (apparently concerning Covid), but appears to have a set a life circumstances far outside of the standard Trump supporter. (Is that fair summation of the facts? I hope so, if not, my apologies).

Anyway, more interesting from my viewpoint, Hillary Clinton and Elon Musk exchanged tweets over various theories of the case. With Clinton basically saying this is Trump fault, and Elon linking to an article hypothesizing that DePape might have been a gay escort. Which the NY Times quickly declared misinformation (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/30/business/musk-tweets-hillary-clinton-pelosi-husband.html), Musk deleted his tweet.

As best I can tell, the gay escort theory at this point is almost entirely based on conjecture.

Here's my question, if the conjecture turns out to be correct, will it come to light? What concatenation of events would keep it from coming to light?

Right now DePape is under arrest for attempted murder, its not apparent to me if he's lawyered up or not yet, I assume at some point he's going to have to go on record establishing a timeline for what he was doing in the 5 or so hours prior to the incident, if he met Paul Pelosi in a gay bar, that seems like something that would be fairly straight forward to corroborate with witnesses, if they arranged a meeting on an app, it would seem that digital corroboration would be pretty straight forward.

Not sure about Paul Pelosi's current ability to speak with police, but I presume they're going to establish a timeline for him as well.

If that is what happened, what would keep if from coming to light? (I anticipate some joke about DePape committing suicide, but, that would obviously drive a fair amount of theorizing were it to happen).

Follow up question, what are the consequences if either story pans out?

https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1548106/download

15. In a Mirandized and recorded interview of DEPAPE by San Francisco Police

Department Officers, DEPAPE provided the following information:

a. DEPAPE stated that he was going to hold Nancy hostage and talk to her. If

Nancy were to tell DEPAPE the “truth,” he would let her go, and if she “lied,” he

was going to break “her kneecaps.” DEPAPE was certain that Nancy would not

have told the “truth.” In the course of the interview, DEPAPE articulated he

viewed Nancy as the “leader of the pack” of lies told by the Democratic Party.

DEPAPE also later explained that by breaking Nancy’s kneecaps, she would then

have to be wheeled into Congress, which would show other Members of Congress

there were consequences to actions. DEPAPE also explained generally that he

wanted to use Nancy to lure another individual to DEPAPE.

b. DEPAPE stated that he broke into the house through a glass door, which was a

difficult task that required the use of a hammer. DEPAPE stated that Pelosi was in

bed and appeared surprised by DEPAPE. DEPAPE told Pelosi to wake up.

DEPAPE told Pelosi that he was looking for Nancy. Pelosi responded that she

was not present. Pelosi asked how they could resolve the situation, and what

DEPAPE wanted to do. DEPAPE stated he wanted to tie Pelosi up so that

DEPAPE could go to sleep as he was tired from having had to carry a backpack to

the Pelosi residence. Around this time, according to DEPAPE, DEPAPE started

taking out twist ties from his pocket so that he could restrain Pelosi. Pelosi

moved towards another part of the house, but DEPAPE stopped him and together

they went back into the bedroom.

c. While talking with each other, Pelosi went into a bathroom, where Pelosi grabbed

a phone to call 9-1-1. DEPAPE stated he felt like Pelosi’s actions compelled him

to respond.

d. DEPAPE remembered thinking that there was no way the police were going to

forget about the phone call. DEPAPE explained that he did not leave after

Pelosi’s call to 9-1-1 because, much like the American founding fathers with the

British, he was fighting against tyranny without the option of surrender. DEPAPE

reiterated this sentiment elsewhere in the interview.

e. DEPAPE stated that they went downstairs to the front door. The police arrived

and knocked on the door, and Pelosi ran over and opened it. Pelosi grabbed onto

DEPAPE’s hammer, which was in DEPAPE’s hand. At this point in the

interview, DEPAPE repeated that DEPAPE did not plan to surrender and that he

would go “through” Pelosi.

f. DEPAPE stated that he pulled the hammer away from Pelosi and swung the

hammer towards Pelosi. DEPAPE explained that Pelosi’s actions resulted in

Pelosi “taking the punishment instead.”

Pelosi asked how they could resolve the situation, and what DEPAPE wanted to do. DEPAPE stated he wanted to tie Pelosi up so that DEPAPE could go to sleep as he was tired from having had to carry a backpack to the Pelosi residence.

This part is cracking me up, like he's complaining about how inconveniently located the Pelosis' house is for violent nutjobs.

Thanks,

That's basically enough to put the gay prostitute theory to bed, at least in my mind.

I mean, I feel pretty vindicated from the previous thread that this is just a totally off his rocker dude.

e. DEPAPE stated that they went downstairs to the front door. The police arrived

and knocked on the door, and Pelosi ran over and opened it. Pelosi grabbed onto

DEPAPE’s hammer, which was in DEPAPE’s hand.

Does this course of action sound like something that happened in the real world? Pelosi is far enough away from Depape that he can run to the door to open it for the police. AFTER opening the door -- at which point police are inside the house with Pelosi and Depape -- Pelosi re-engages with Depape to grab the hammer (very spry for an 80+ year old, why not let the police take it?), and Depape pulls the hammer away and hits Pelosi (even though the Police must be literally on top of them at this moment).

Does this course of action sound like something that happened in the real world?

I recommend watching some videos from this channel, which contain mostly body or dashcam videos of police officers interacting with criminals. You'll find that the criminals often behave completely bizarrely, making completely absurd decisions and incoherent actions, and cops just chilling, seconds before events turn violent.

For example, in this video, you get to observe an actual hammer attack. You see some people chatting with the driver, then they come up to the arriving officer, telling him that they guy is likely drunk. The cop engages the driver, cheerily asking him for papers, when the guy bizarrely, for no reason at all, pulls out a hammer and brings it to a gunfight.

I recommend watching more videos from this channel. Behaviors of the criminal underclass are often completely bizarre and strategically idiotic. You are assuming much more rationality than the drunks, crazies and morons actually can scrape together in the moment. The argument that "it doesn't make sense to do it" simply does not carry much weight.

The modal reaction I have to when I get a new case is "Why in the fuck did you do this? What the fuck were you thinking?" and I only represent the people that survive.

this is coming from a guy who broke into a home and wanted to tie up the occupant so he could take a nap

It honestly reads like fan fiction.

However, I have met enough absolutely bonkers folk in my life that it also isn't that far fetched of a possibility - but this updates my priors to believing he's a gay hooker / lover, not some wacko Trump supporter.