Noem's Security Cuffs Senator Who Heckled Her L.A. Rant
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's press conference in Los Angeles went off the rails after it was crashed by one of California's senators.
Noem was slamming California leaders amid protests in the state against ICE raids when Senator Alex Padilla interrupted her.
The California lawmaker was grabbed and bundled out of the room before being handcuffed.
The incident drew an immediate response from the state's Governor Gavin Newsom, who said: 'Senator Alex Padilla is one of the most decent people I know. This is outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful. Trump and his shock troops are out of control. This must end now.'
'Secretary, I want to know why you insist on exaggerating and embellishing,' Padilla began before being intercepted by officials.
Video showed the senator being grabbed by the arms and pushed toward the exit.
'I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,' he continued, trying to speak as he was shoved toward the door. 'Because the fact of the matter is a half a dozen violent criminals that should be –'
At that point, the senator was removed from the room. Padilla could be seen holding his hands up as three men, including one wearing an FBI vest, continued to escort him out.
He was then forced to the ground, instructed to put his hands behind his back, and handcuffed. At that point, a man stood in front of the camera and said there was no recording allowed.
The person recording could be heard saying that Padilla was his boss and he was not a member of the press before the video ended.
DHS slammed the senator in response to a request for the Daily Beast for comment.
'Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theater and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem,' said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement.
'Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers' repeated commands. U.S. Secret Service thought he was an attacker, and officers acted appropriately. Secretary Noem met with Senator Padilla after and held a 15-minute meeting,' she continued.
Asked during the press conference about the senator's interruption, Noem said she did not know the senator and claimed he did not request a meeting with her. She called his actions 'inappropriate.'
However, Padilla slammed his treatment and questioned how others would be mistreated by the administration if he were handcuffed on the ground.
'I was there peacefully. I was forced to the ground, and I was handcuffed. I was not arrested. I was not detained,' Padilla said.
'If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question, we can only imagine what they are doing to farm workers, to day laborers, throughout the Los Angeles community, and throughout California, and, throughout the country. We will hold this administration accountable,' he added.
Other Democrats have also expressed outrage over Padilla's treatment.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the floor of the Senate that the video of Padilla being handcuffed on the ground sickened his stomach.
'To look at this video and see what happened reeks—reeks—of totalitarianism," Schumer said. 'This is not what democracies do.'
Schumer called for an immediate investigation into what happened.
'It's despicable. It's disgusting. It is so un-American, so un-American, and we need answers,' the New York senator said.
He was one of several Democratic senators who blasted Padilla's treatment on the Senate floor Thursday afternoon.
'The brazen and aggressive manhandling of Senator Padilla by the Trump administration is a sickening disgrace,' said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a post. 'Anyone who assaulted the Senator should be held accountable. No one is above the law.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
20 minutes ago
- New York Times
Here Are Some of the Southern California Immigration Raids From the Past Week
Tension has been growing for months over the Trump administration's aggressive efforts to deport people who remain in the United States illegally. But the situation escalated in Los Angeles about a week ago. After protesters converged on immigration raids and demonstrated against U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials, President Trump deployed 2,000 California National Guard troops to the city. While the focus has turned to ensuing protests in downtown Los Angeles and the heavy military response — the call-up has since increased to 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines — ICE agents have continued immigration raids each day in Southern California. It is difficult to have a comprehensive picture of the ICE efforts because the agency does not issue a list of people who have been detained each day nor the locations where they were taken from, and authorities did not confirm the number of raids they conducted in California this week. But residents, immigrant rights groups and elected leaders have cobbled together accounts of ICE workplace raids that they describe as indiscriminate attempts to find anyone who might be undocumented. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBS News
28 minutes ago
- CBS News
Denton County sheriff warns protesters: "Cross the line and it will be met with consequences"
As protests continue across North Texas, one sheriff is making it clear that while peaceful demonstrations are protected, any acts of violence or property damage will be met with swift consequences. Denton County Sheriff Tracy Murphree posted a strongly worded message on social media this week, emphasizing his department's preparedness and willingness to act. Denton County Sheriff Tracy Murphree Denton County "The citizens of Denton County pay me to keep the peace ... they also pay me to kick some a** if necessary," Murphree said in a Facebook post. As of Friday evening, the post had received more than 2,100 reactions, 240 comments and 1,000 shares. Four of the at least 15 "No Kings" anti-Trump protests planned in North Texas are scheduled to take place in Denton County: Denton Denton Square – 110 W. Hickory St. 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Denton Square – 110 W. Hickory St. 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Frisco FM 423 and Old Newman Road 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. FM 423 and Old Newman Road 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. Flower Mound FM 1171 sidewalks between FM 2499 and Morriss Road 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. FM 1171 sidewalks between FM 2499 and Morriss Road 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Sanger Sanger Square – Sanger 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Murphree's full statement reads as follows: "The right to peaceful assembly is a sacred right guaranteed to all Americans. Let me be clear, this is not California. We will not tolerate destruction of property, nor will we stand idly by and allow it to take place. "Any violence towards any of my officers will be met with force. If my officers feel they are in imminent danger of death or injury the violence will be met with deadly force. We will protect the life and property of our citizens. We will protect our lives. "My deputies have been advised to not back down to do their duty and arrest those who violate the law. The citizens of Denton County pay me to keep the peace ... they also pay me to kick some a** if necessary. Protest til your hearts content. Cross the line and it will be met with consequences." Murphree, a former Texas Ranger, has been the Denton County sheriff since 2017. He was first elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020 and 2024.
34 minutes ago
Why thousands of NCAA athletes might wait over a year for share of $2.8 billion settlement
The attorney who negotiated the $2.8 billion legal settlement for the NCAA said Friday that thousands of former athletes due to receive damages could have to wait months or maybe more than a year to get paid while appeals play out. Rakesh Kilaru, who served as the NCAA's lead counsel for the House settlement that was approved last week, told The Associated Press an appeal on Title IX grounds filed this week will hold up payments due to around 390,000 athletes who signed on to the class-action settlement. He said he has seen appeals take up to 18 months in the California-based federal court where this case is playing out, though that isn't necessarily what he expects. 'I will say that we, and I'm sure the plaintiffs, are going to push,' Kilaru said. A schedule filed this week calls for briefs related to the appeal to be filed by Oct. 3. Kilaru doesn't expect anyone on the defendant or plaintiff side to file for extensions in the case 'because every day the appeal goes on is a day damages don't go to the student-athletes.' He said while the appeal is ongoing, the NCAA will pay the money into a fund that will be ready to go when needed. The other critical parts of the settlement -- the part that allows each school to share up to $20.5 million in revenue with current players and set up an enforcement arm to regulate it -- are in effect regardless of appeals. 'I think everyone thought it was important and good for this new structure to start working because it does have a lot of benefits for students,' Kilaru said. 'But it's very common for damages to be delayed in this way for the simple reason that you don't want to make payments to people that you can't recover' if the appeal is successful. A group of eight female athletes filed the appeal. Their attorney, Ashlyn Hare, said they supported settlement of the case 'but not an inaccurate one that violates federal law.' "The calculation of past damages is based on an error that ignores Title IX and deprives female athletes of $1.1 billion,' Hare said. Kilaru agreed with plaintiff attorneys who have argued that Title IX violations are outside the scope of the lawsuit. Other objections to the settlement came from athletes who said they were damaged by roster limits set by the terms. One attorney representing a group of those objectors, Steven Molo, said they were reviewing Wilken's decision and exploring options.
