David DePape, Paul Pelosi’s attacker, told police that he intended to hold former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hostage and question her over what Democrats had done to President Trump. If she had lied, he intended to break her kneecaps, newly released audio of police questioning obtained by Fox News Digital shows. 

DePape, 42, used a hammer to attack Paul Pelosi, 82, last October in his San Francisco home. Paul Pelosi underwent emergency surgery on a fractured skull following the attack.

‘Did you feel like the Pelosis have done something to you?’ the San Francisco Police Department interviewer asked DePape after the attack.

‘Well not me, specifically, to the entire American public, honestly,’ he answered, later adding that Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats are ‘f—ing liars.’

LISTEN TO POLICE QUESTIONING DEPAPE:

‘When Trump came into office, what they did went so far beyond spying on him,’ DePape later said, referencing Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee. He said Democrats went from one crime to another until ‘they were finally able to steal the election.’

When questioned on his intentions, DePape said he wanted to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage and talk to her, and if she had lied, he intended to break her kneecaps.

‘Well, I was basically going to hold her hostage and talk to her,’ DePape said. ‘If she told the truth, I’d let her scot-free; if she f—ing lied, I was going to break her kneecaps.’ 

‘I knew beyond a doubt she would f—ing lie,’ he said.

DePape later added that he had ‘other targets’ and that he had left his house to ‘fight tyranny.’

San Francisco police arrived at Paul Pelosi’s home shortly before the attack at around 2:30 a.m. The encounter lasted just 15 seconds from when Paul Pelosi had opened the door for officers to when DePape attacked him with a hammer. The two responding officers captured the recording on their body cameras.

Fox News Digital obtained DePape’s police interview on Friday following California Judge Stephen Murphy’s ruling that the district attorney’s office must make materials regarding the attack public. The materials include police bodycam video, U.S. Capitol Police surveillance video and 911 audio calls.

The San Francisco District Attorney’s office initially refused the release by claiming that publicizing the footage would lead to misinformation about the attack. Fox News and other media organizations moved to seek the release of the footage, arguing that it would be in the public interest and would enable them to discredit false narratives about the attack.

Siding with the media, Judge Murphy said there was no reason to keep the footage sealed after the prosecution had aired it at last month’s hearing, Thomas Burke, an attorney representing news agencies in the matter, told The Associated Press.

DePape pleaded not guilty to all state charges in the case last month, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and elder abuse. He also pleaded not guilty to federal charges of assaulting an immediate family member of a federal official and attempted kidnapping of a federal officer for the alleged home invasion.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman, Chris Pandolfo, and Houston Keene contributed reporting.

FIRST ON FOX: Lawmakers in Texas are going after ‘rogue’ prosecutors who they say refuse to enforce state laws for certain crimes or prosecute certain defendants by threatening to have them removed from office or subject to an investigation. 

State Sen. Mayes Middleton, a Republican, filed a bill in the state Legislature Friday that would require district attorneys to go after suspected criminals and prosecute their alleged crimes. It would also give state Attorney General Ken Paxton that ability to go after district attorneys by forcing them to enforce laws and potentially seek to remove them from office, according to a copy of the bill obtained by Fox News Digital. 

‘Every district attorney has taken an oath to protect and defend the laws and Constitution of the State of Texas. They are violating their oath of office and do not have the constitutional authority to choose which classes of offenses to prosecute. George-Soros-backed DAs are endangering our communities with policies of non-prosecution,’ Middleton said Friday. 

‘In Texas, we support law and order. Criminals that violate our laws and endanger our communities should be prosecuted, and justice should be served. Our justice system cannot function when DAs are allowed to cafeteria-style pick-and-choose which laws to follow and which to ignore. It is up to the legislature to pass laws and for district attorneys to enforce them, period,’ he added.

Under the bill, district attorneys may not refuse to charge suspects accused of violent crimes as well as those suspected of property crimes and election-related crimes. In addition, prosecutors cannot refuse to seek capital punishment against those accused of committing capital crimes.

They also can’t refuse to prosecute illegal immigrants in an effort to shield them from consequences of federal or state immigration laws.

If it is believed a prosecutor refuses to apply the laws, the attorney general can require that DA to formally state their reason why and provide any material requested. Prosecutors can also be subjected to an investigation over their alleged failure.

The bill would also allow any Texas resident to file a complaint with the attorney general’s office for the removal of a DA. If authorities believe the complaint is valid, the attorney general can ask a court to remove the prosecutor. 

An individual would also be able to ask a district court to remove a DA as well. 

The bill is similar to other legislation in Texas targeting prosecutors over failures to not prosecute certain crimes of defendants. 

The bill would take effect immediately upon a two-thirds vote of both chambers in the state Legislature. If it doesn’t receive the necessary number of votes for immediate effect, it would take effect Sept. 1 if passed by lawmakers.

Two similar bills, HB 1350 and SB 378 were filed last week. Both would allow the attorney general to sue prosecutors who have implemented policies which prohibit or materially limit the enforcement of criminal offenses.

‘Rather than adopt politically-motivated virtue signaling and blanket immunity for criminals, district attorneys have a duty to evaluate the merits of each alleged crime on a case-by-case basis to ensure the public safety of Texans.’ state Rep. David Cook, who partnered with state Sen. Tan Parker to file both bills, said in an announcement. 

The bills target Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot, according to a Dallas Morning News editorial published Monday. 

In 2019, Creuzot said his office would not prosecute thefts of necessary items like diapers, baby formula and food between the amounts of $100 and $750 unless evidence showed it was done for economic gain. 

In a November 2022 press release, Creuzot said the policy was misrepresented. 

‘This policy targets a very narrow class of offense and was instituted in an effort to decriminalize poverty, but instead, the policy has been misrepresented and politicized, and those who have done that have created a sense of mistrust about this office,’ he said. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Creuzot’s office as well as the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, which prosecutes crimes in and around Houston. 

Embattled GOP Rep. George Santos rose on the House floor Friday to deliver a one-minute speech for Holocaust Remembrance Day. 

The speech came after Santos admitted to fabricating parts of his background, including his education, work experience and his supposed Jewish heritage.

‘Let this day serve as a reminder that we must honor the victims and survivors. We must also pay tribute to the liberators who rescued millions of people who nearly fell victim to the Holocaust,’ said Santos, who has been condemned by Jewish groups for falsely claiming to be Jewish. 

During his remarks, the New York lawmaker took a moment to acknowledge the grandmother of one of his staff members, who he said was a 93-year-old survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp.

‘Antisemitism is a plague in this nation, and it is undoubtedly up to us to ensure this kind of tragedy is never to be seen again,’ Santos said. ‘This is a tribute to aging survivors and the Jewish community. We must guarantee access to the services they need to live long and dignified lives. This day and every day, we give credence to the dark side of humanity, but try for a better brighter future.’

Before winning the election to represent New York’s 3rd Congressional District in November, Santos had claimed in his campaign biography that he was of Jewish descent. He said his grandparents were born in Ukraine and had escaped the Holocaust by fleeing to Belgium, resettling in Brazil. 

But after a New York Times report uncovered that Santos had lied about his education and work history, The Forward, a Jewish publication, took a closer look at Santos’ family and reported that his grandparents had been born in Brazil, not Ukraine as Santos had claimed. 

Confronted with allegations of lying about his heritage, Santos told the New York Post in an interview he is Catholic. He said he ‘never claimed to be Jewish,’ even though the newspaper described a blurb on his campaign website that claimed his mother was Jewish and that his grandparents escaped the Nazis during World War II.

‘I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background, I said I was ‘Jew-ish’,’ Santos told the Post in a quote that was widely derided. 

After publication of the New York Post interview, the Republican Jewish Coalition disavowed Santos and said he had ‘deceived us and misrepresented his heritage.’ 

‘In public comments and to us personally, he previously claimed to be Jewish. He has begun his tenure in Congress on a very wrong note. He will not be welcome at any future RJC event,’ CEO Matt Brooks said.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called on Santos to resign. Though he faces an ethics probe, Santos has stubbornly insisted he is not going anywhere unless the New Yorkers who voted for him all demand he resign. 

A Siena College Research Institute poll published Monday found 49% of Republican registered voters want him to step down, while 26% said he should finish his term in Congress. 

Fox News’ Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.

President Biden spoke with the family of Tyre Nichols on Friday and commended the family’s ‘courage and strength’ during a phone call.

Biden made the call on Friday as Memphis officials are expected to release body camera video of the traffic stop that would lead to Nichols’ death. The family has already had the opportunity to view the video.

‘President Biden spoke with Mrs. RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, Tyre Nichols’ mother and stepfather, this afternoon to directly express his and Dr. Biden’s condolences for Tyre Nichols’ death. During the conversation, the President commended the family’s courage and strength,’ a White House official said.

Memphis police pulled over Nichols on Jan. 7 at around 8:30 p.m. for ‘reckless driving’ and a ‘confrontation occurred’ while the stop was taking place, according to officials,’ which then led to Nichols attempting to run away from the officers. When police caught up with Nichols, they say another confrontation occurred, and he then complained to the officers of shortness of breath.

‘The suspect was ultimately apprehended,’ MPD said. ‘Afterward the suspect complained of having shortness of breath, at which point an ambulance was called to the scene.’ 

Nichols was taken to St. Francis Hospital in critical condition but died on Jan. 10, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Five former Memphis police officers were fired after the incident and are being charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault as well as other charges.

Biden has previously released a statement stating that more work needs to be done within the criminal justice system, and also called for any protest to remain peaceful.

‘Public trust is the foundation of public safety and there are still too many places in America today where the bonds of trust are frayed or broken. Tyre’s death is a painful reminder that we must do more to ensure that our criminal justice system lives up to the promise of fair and impartial justice, equal treatment, and dignity for all,’ Biden said in the statement. ‘As Americans grieve, the Department of Justice conducts its investigation, and state authorities continue their work, I join Tyre’s family in calling for peaceful protest. Outrage is understandable, but violence is never acceptable. Violence is destructive and against the law.  It has no place in peaceful protests seeking justice.’

The Michigan Legislature will set aside $200 million out of about $1 billion in spending for a paper mill in the Upper Peninsula, while also setting aside more money for the state’s economic development fund.

The legislation, which was passed late Thursday night by the new Democratic-controlled Legislature, includes a $946 million spending plan and an additional $146 million to close out last year’s budget, bringing the total spending to nearly $1.1 billion.

Nearly $200 million in grant funding will be set aside for upgrades at the Escanaba Mill, located in the Upper Peninsula and operated by Swedish paper producer Billerud. The company is looking to begin making a more technologically advanced paper product that will be used as packaging for pharmaceuticals and healthcare, cosmetics and drinks.

The funding for the Escanaba Mill comes after the Michigan Strategic Fund approved a 15-year tax break last month to support Billerud’s planned project at the paper mill, which is expected to bring in nearly $1 billion in investments from the Swedish company and retain at least 1,240 jobs in the region.

The passage of the supplemental budget Thursday came one day after Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered a State of the State speech that focused heavily on economic development and keeping jobs in the state.

Rep. Jenn Hill of Marquette called the paper mill project a ‘generational investment’ and said that after the Lower Peninsula received multiple economic development projects last year, it was time for the Upper Peninsula ‘to have a turn.’

‘The governor talked last night about providing young people with a reason to stay in Michigan. A big part of that is economic opportunity,’ said Hill. ‘Let’s invest in the Upper Peninsula and the future of green manufacturing in our state.’

The bill also gives an additional $150 million for Michigan’s Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve, which brings the total remaining balance of the fund to $890 million.

Republicans criticized the late-night spending bill as being rushed and secretive. Rep. Mike Harris of Clarkston said that Democrats planned the bill ‘behind closed doors’ and ‘waited until the last minute to make this public.’

‘Democrats are starting their new majority by shoving an enormous, secret spending bill down the throats of the people of Michigan,’ House Republican Leader Matt Hall said in a statement. ‘They gave the public and their elected representatives virtually no time to read the ridiculously over-stuffed plan before the vote.’

During December’s lame duck session, talks between Whitmer and the Republican-led Legislature stalled before any supplemental budget could be passed. Democrats took full control of both chambers this year and a budget surplus that was projected to grow to over $9 billion by fall.

The Democratic-led Legislature also worked Thursday to pass tax relief that includes increasing the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit to a 30% match of the federal credit, compared with 6% currently, and a retirement tax repeal. Final passage of both bills is expected sometime next week.

DANA POINT, Calif. – EXCLUSIVE – Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel says that after winning an unprecedented in modern times fourth term as chair of the GOP, there won’t be a fifth term in her future.

‘This is my last term as chair. I’m saying it on Fox News. It’s done,’ McDaniel declared Friday in an exclusive interview with Fox News.

Minutes earlier, McDaniel won the support of 111 committee members who cast ballots in a secret ballot vote for chair, more than the majority of the 168 members needed to secure re-election. The vote took place on the final day of the RNC’s winter meeting, which was held this year at a luxury seaside resort in Southern California’s Orange County. 

McDaniel topped her main challenger, RNC committee member from California Harmeet Dhillon, who won the support of 51 committee members. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump’s repeated re-litigating of the 2020 presidential election and who ran a long shot bid for chair, received only four votes.

McDaniel, who as Michigan GOP chair was Trump’s handpicked choice to steer the committee after he won the White House in 2016, was re-elected to the post in 2019 and 2021. McDaniel urged stability while Dhillon, who served as a top Trump legal adviser, ran an insurgent campaign stressing that change was needed following the Republican Party’s lackluster performance in the 2022 midterms, which many in the GOP expected to be a red wave election.

‘I know how hard it is to ramp up with a new chair. I wanted to keep that consistency,’ McDaniel emphasized. ‘We’ve made a lot of changes in my tenure with voter registration, minority outreach. The things that we’ve done have been historic. We need to continue that and do that in this next election. And then I’m happily going to pass the gavel to somebody else.’

McDaniel has been a prolific fundraiser for the national party during her tenure leading the committee. But the GOP electoral setbacks in November during McDaniel’s tenure, such as the Republicans failing to win back the Senate and losing key gubernatorial races, as well as in 2018 when the party lost the House majority and in 2020 when it lost control of the Senate and the White House, sparked calls for a change of leadership.

Dhillon, speaking with reporters after her defeat, pointed what she touted was her support from the grassroots of the party, and had a warning for the RNC:

‘If we go back to our homes and ignore this message, I think it’s at our peril. It’s at our peril personally, as party leaders and it’s at our peril for our party in general.’

Asked about those comments, McDaniel argued in her Fox News interview that ‘I think the grassroots has been fed some misinformation from her campaign, and we’re going to reach out to them.’

‘I’m going to go on a grassroots tour. I would love for her [Dhillon] to come with me. I want other leaders in our party to come with me,’ she emphasized. ‘But they don’t always understand what the RNC does. And that’s our job to go out. But we love the grassroots. We appreciate them. We need them to go knock doors and be poll watchers. And I’m going to be traveling the country, getting them ready for beating the Democrats because we can only do that united.’

McDaniel pledged to reach out and call Dhillon and Lindell, adding that ‘my whole campaign for this election has been unity. We need all of us. We need addition, not subtraction. And we can’t fight each other so much that we don’t recognize that we’ve got to beat the Democrats. So that’s what I’m going to do as leader of this party. I’m going to reach out to both of them.’

Asked about any specific leadership role going forward for Dhillon, who has two years left in her term as an RNC committee member, McDaniel said ‘we haven’t discussed anything like that.’

The RNC showdown, the party’s first hotly contested chair race in a dozen years, became a contentious family feud as the GOP decided its leadership. The drama unfolded as the party jumps into an election cycle seeking to win back the White House, regain the Senate majority and hold its fragile control of the House. It also came as the party aims to rebound from November’s disappointing results and as it debates its future and Trump’s continued grip over the GOP.

McDaniel, who touted in November that she had the support of over 100 committee members, said, ‘I felt like I had strong support from the committee because they really want to keep the consistency of the things we’ve done, voter registration, election integrity. And they know it’s such a pivotal time heading into a president presidential election. So they wanted to keep that, but they understand we’re going to bring change.’