The US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul was “violently assaulted” early this morning after someone broke into their California home.
The assailant has been arrested and the 82-year-old is in hospital recovering, Dan Hammill, a spokesman for Ms Pelosi, said in a statement.
Mr Pelosi was reportedly attacked with a hammer, law enforcement sources told CNN.
The Democratic House speaker, who is second in line to the US presidency, was not in their San Francisco residence at the time of the assault.
The statement posted on her website said: “Early this morning, an assailant broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and violently assaulted Mr. Pelosi.
“The assailant is in custody and the motivation for the attack is under investigation.
“Mr. Pelosi was taken to the hospital, where he is receiving excellent medical care and is expected to make a full recovery. The Speaker was not in San Francisco at the time.
“The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time.”
The assault comes less than two weeks before midterm elections in which control of the House and the Senate is at stake.
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