Even Pelosi's neighbors aren't buying the story

Posted on: November 1, 2022 at 13:30:10 CT

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/nancy-pelosi-s-former-neighbor-questions-why-home-invasion-triggered-no-warning/ar-AA13Cq6y?cvid=11e51a3602e84f32bd224edf8c15e691


Nancy Pelosi's former neighbor is questioning why a violent home invasion triggered no alarms – as security experts condemn the apparent ease with which David DePape broke in, and predict federal protections will be extended to her family.

Residents of tony Broadway Street in San Francisco are used to fleets of black SUVs surrounding the Speaker's red brick mansion 24/7, a heavy police response to any disturbances, and even their computers getting scrambled by alleged security measures to protect the nation's Number Three.

So when Marjorie Campbell read that her old neighbor had to call 911 himself while negotiating with a hammer-wielding madman, she was deeply perplexed.

'There were black cars outside that house, particularly up on Normandie Terrace, all of the time,' the 66-year-old, who lived opposite the Pelosis for a decade, told DailyMail.com.

'I don't distinguish between her being there and not being there. There were always multiple cars.'

Police statements and the criminal complaint against David DePape, 42, released Monday suggest that he broke in by smashing a back patio door. He confronted Paul Pelosi Sr., who phoned police and tried to talk down the crazed man. When cops burst in, DePape slugged Pelosi Sr. with a hammer.

'Everybody in the neighborhood had alarms on our windows,' the former neighbor said. 'So if glass smashed, an alarm went off. We all had alarms that had chimed if the door opened or closed.'

The mysterious attack early Friday morning has left residents with a long list of questions – some of which are slowly being answered by law enforcement, and others which still leave even top private security experts scratching their heads.

Gavin DeBecker ran Jeff Bezos' security and is widely regarded as one of the nation's authorities on protection of public figures.

He was surprised there appeared to be 'no security' on the house – though pointed out that federal protection currently only applies to Nancy herself, and she was out of town at the time.

'There is absolutely no security assigned to the Pelosi house. There is security provided by the US Capitol Police for the Speaker of the House personally, with her when she travels or appears publicly, but no security is provided for spouses or family of members of Congress. So, there was no security to get around.

'I don't know if a security system was on or not, but it appears not.'

DeBecker said the Pelosis' taxpayer-paid protection could be beefed up as a result of the attack, adding that the multi-millionaires could also afford their own private detail.

'I think it is likely that Paul Pelosi will receive some official protection for a time,' he told DailyMail.com. 'They also have the ability to hire security on their own, by which I mean they have the financial ability.'

Former CIA agent and private security chief to billionaires Tony Schiena told DailyMail.com that the break in was an 'obvious security failure for the family of a high profile politician to be so vulnerable and exposed.'

He slammed the 'unacceptable security planning' including 'poor physical security on premises as well as procedures in case of a threat or attack' and a 'lack of security technology, i.e. cameras and infrared motion detectors.'

'There was a recent alert by NYPD that politicians were likely to be targeted, and yet nothing was done to secure her house, even though she was not there,' he said.

'There's a general failure to adapt to the new norm: right wing terrorism in the US. I feel we are going to experience the emergence of more vigilance. Reactive management will include more protection for congressional leadership and their families.

'The key is to assess the situation and provide protection to the family members as well.'

Campbell, who now lives in Utah, recalled private security and police responding nearly instantly to anything untoward on the two blocks of Broadway Street near Pelosi's home.

'My daughter came home from a Christmas dance one year. It had got through the entire event that she was having a party. So we had cars descend on that block. We had cars just coming from both directions and parking and lining up at the back gate.

'Within 10 minutes, there were police everywhere,' she said.

Campbell said that when protesters from women's antiwar group Code Pink camped outside the Speaker's house 'that whole situation was being watched like a hawk'.

'It didn't take too long before the curb that runs down Broadway right in front of her house was painted red. The protesters were not allowed to protest where the curb was red. So you know that they [Pelosi's security] were all over that,' she said.

The former neighbor said residents' electrical equipment would sometimes malfunction from alleged jamming to prevent spying on the speaker.

'We had a computer in our kitchen that just didn't work on the internet very well. And I was told that because of the level of monitoring equipment at that residence,' she said.

'There was monitoring equipment to make sure that residents couldn't be spied on remotely from any place in the neighborhood, which involved something that interfered with our computer.'

Campbell recalled eating with her family at their local restaurant, Jackson Fillmore, one night when the place was taken over by bodyguards.

'This entire security detail came in because the Pelosis wanted to eat dinner there. There were three or four black cars outside, a huge detail.

'When she was there, there certainly was a huge presence. And my impression was that the house was constantly monitored.'