A U.S. Senator was forcibly escorted out of a Los Angeles press conference after attempting to confront Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during her remarks.
Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) interrupted Noem at a briefing she convened to address the ongoing controversy surrounding ICE raids that have sparked unrest across Southern California for nearly a week.
Despite the senator’s outburst, according to KLTA5, Noem continued speaking:
“We are not going away. We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and mayor have placed on this country and what they’ve tried to insert in this city,” she said, raising her voice toward the end to speak over the protests of Padilla.
NBC Los Angeles reported the reason for the removal:
Noem was speaking in Los Angeles about recent ICE operations in the region when Padilla was removed from the room after saying, “You insist on exaggerating.” At least two men approached Padilla, a Democrat, near a wall and removed him through doors near the rear of the room.
Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned Padilla’s removal despite his childish outburst:
“This is outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful,” Newsom said on social media. “Trump and his shock troops are out of control. This must end now.”Bass also expressed her support.“What just happened to [Padilla] is absolutely abhorrent and outrageous,” she wrote on social media. “He is a sitting United States Senator. This administration’s violent attacks on our city must end.”
After the spectacle, Padilla’s office released a statement claiming the senator was handcuffed but not detained, and said they are awaiting further information:
DHS’s official X account also released a statement saying that the Senator “lunged” at Secretary Noem:
Padilla’s office also provided its footage to the media, which shows the takedown outside in the hallway and the moment he is handcuffed:
Noem, for her part, handled the interruption with composure and even promised to call Padilla after the conference despite his behavior.
If Democrats think scenes like this, heckling press conferences, and dodging responsibility for the fallout are helping their cause, they may be in for a rude awakening. As tensions rise and communities demand accountability, political theater won’t cut it.
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