Over 200 Democrats sign letter condemning ‘unprecedented' removal of senator from DHS presser

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By Peter Pinedo
Published June 16, 2025
Over 200 House and Senate Democrats signed a letter condemning what they called an "unprecedented incident" in which Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was forcibly removed from a Homeland Security press conference last week.
Signed by 188 House members of Congress and 35 senators, the letter accuses the Trump administration of a "potential violation of separation of powers" and said the incident "raises alarming questions about the conduct of federal law enforcement agencies, the coordination of protective services, and the administration's posture toward congressional oversight."
Padilla was handcuffed and briefly detained by officers as he aimed to speak out in opposition to Trump administration immigration raids that sparked unrest in Los Angeles and smaller protests across the country this month.
Videos of the incident showed Padilla attempting to walk up to Noem while she was speaking at a podium and trying to shout over the secretary, but law enforcement stepped in and forcefully stopped Padilla's advance.
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Padilla was eventually taken out of the room, brought to the ground and handcuffed, the videos showed. Fox News reporters who were present at the news conference said Padilla appeared to be detained for a period of time.
Padilla has claimed, "I wasn't trying to be disrespectful or disruptive, and I don't think I was" and "I was simply asking a question just as the members of the press corps ask questions, members of the Congress, members of the Senate ask questions to do our job to hold the administration accountable."
The letter, sent by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and joined by hundreds more other lawmakers, was sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Monday.
The letter was signed by the likes of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
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"We write to express our profound concern regarding the shocking and deeply troubling mistreatment of United States Senator Alex Padilla," the lawmakers said in the letter.
The letter states that "Senator Padilla clearly identified himself and was acting within his rights as a Member of Congress," and that "this unprecedented incident is not simply an affront to security protocol—it is a constitutional issue—as these actions may constitute an assault on a sitting senator."
The Democrats call for "swift and decisive action" from congressional leadership "to uphold the dignity and authority of Congress."
"If members of the United States Senate can be physically restrained for seeking answers from executive officials, it sets a dangerous precedent for the independence of the legislative branch," the letter claims.
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Johnson has said that his view of Padilla's behavior before the incident was "wildly inappropriate," telling reporters, "You don't charge a sitting Cabinet secretary, and everybody can draw their own conclusions."
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Thune spoke to Padilla and Senate Sergeant at Arms Jennifer Hemingway about the incident.
Responding to the letter, Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, told Fox News Digital that "this letter won't fool anyone."
"Padilla lunged towards Secretary Noem's podium in the middle of a press conference, resisted law enforcement, and didn't immediately identify himself," she said. "Democrats are so desperate to talk about anything other than their supporters violently rioting in L.A. that they're trying to make a martyr out of a senator who acted like a kindergartner throwing a temper tantrum." Print Close
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/over-200-democrats-sign-letter-condemning-unprecedented-removal-senator-from-dhs-presser

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Congress is holding emergency briefings on security after Minnesota shootings

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Hamilton Spectator

Congress is holding emergency briefings on security after Minnesota shootings

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But it is unclear how many have used it and whether there is enough money to keep lawmakers truly safe. 'Resources should not be the reason that a U.S. senator or congressman gets killed,' Murphy said. Instead of bringing lawmakers together, the Minnesota shootings have created new internal tensions. Smith on Monday confronted one of her fellow senators, Utah Republican Mike Lee, for a series of posts on X over the weekend. One mocked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat who ran for vice president last year. Another post said of the murders, 'This is what happens when Marxists don't get their way.' Friends and former colleagues interviewed by The Associated Press described Vance Luther Boelter, the man accused of assassinating Hortman and her husband, as a devout Christian who attended an evangelical church and went to campaign rallies for Trump. Records show Boelter registered to vote as a Republican while living in Oklahoma in 2004 before moving to Minnesota, where voters don't list party affiliation. Smith talked to Lee outside a GOP conference meeting as soon as she arrived in Washington on Monday. 'I would say he seemed surprised to be confronted,' she told reporters afterward. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer also called out Lee's posts on the Senate floor, saying that for him to 'fan the flames of division with falsities, while the killer was still on the loose, is deeply irresponsible. He should take his posts down and immediately apologize to the families of the victims.' Lee's office did not respond to a request for comment. Lawmakers were already on edge before the shootings, which came less than two days after Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla was forcibly removed from a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in California. Officers restrained Padilla and put him on the ground. Angry Democratic senators immediately took to the Senate floor Thursday afternoon to denounce Padilla's treatment. 'What was really hard for me to see was that a member of this body was driven to his knees and made to kneel before authorities,' said New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. 'This is a test. This is a crossroads.' At the briefing Tuesday, Senate Democrats say they plan to ask security officials, as well as Republican leadership, about Padilla's removal from the press conference as well as their protection against outside threats. 'I certainly hope to hear leadership responding in a profound way,' said New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, a Democrat. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., who said she had been informed that her name was also on the suspect's list, said she wanted to hear recommendations at the briefing on how to improve security. 'And we can take those recommendations,' Baldwin said. 'But I think, both with the president and his administration and with members of Congress, that we need to bring the temperature down. There's no place for political violence ever. And the rhetoric — words matter.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .

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