Latest news with #SenatorPadilla
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump Is Calling Handcuffed Senator Vile Racial Slur: Author
Donald Trump is trying to justify federal agents handcuffing California Senator Alex Padilla by suggesting that he 'looked like an illegal,' his leading biographer has revealed. 'Trump saw these pictures and then has been on the phone saying to people, 'Nobody's ever heard of this guy,'' Michael Wolff, the bestselling author, said this week on The Daily Beast Podcast. 'As though that's an excuse. And then he's gone on to say, 'and he looks like an illegal.'' Padilla, the son of Mexican immigrants, was thrown to the ground Thursday after going to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's press conference in Los Angeles and trying to ask her a question. Noem was bashing California lawmakers after mass protests in Los Angeles erupted against ICE raids when the attack started. Padilla decided to interrupt the conference to demand why she was 'exaggerating and embellishing.' He was in the middle of asking his question when Noem's security shoved him out of the room. He could be heard repeatedly identifying himself as a United States senator. Once in the hallway, the agents—who included Secret Service and FBI—pushed him to the ground and handcuffed his hands behind his back. Wolff said that Trump excused the assault by dismissing Padilla as an immigrant nobody. 'If you are famous, that would obviously put you in a different category and ICE agents would not have tackled you,' said Wolff, explaining Trump's rationale. 'Padilla is actually a relatively new senator from California, nobody knows about this person. Therefore, perfectly understandable that the ICE agents would tackle him. And of course he looks like 'an illegal.' 'This is just his visceral response: Nobody's ever heard of him,' Wolff added. 'We can take the blame off the ICE agents because they haven't heard about this guy.' Wolff said that Trump was 'a little unsettled by the Padilla thing' and is attempting to sweep it under the rug. Democratic lawmakers had seized on it as an unconstitutional outrage and even two Republican senators—Alaska's Lisa Murkowski and Maine's Susan Collins, both on-off Trump critics—had spoken out against it. 'He's rationalizing this in some way which might brand him as a complete racist once more,' Wolff added. 'Although I'm sure he doesn't particularly care about that.' In response White House Communications Director Steven Cheung recycled a previous attack on Wolff and said, 'Michael Wolff is a lying sack of s--t and has been proven to be a fraud. He routinely fabricates stories originating from his sick and warped imagination, only possible because he has a severe and debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted his peanut-sized brain.' Padilla was the first Latino president of the L.A. City Council. He was elected to the Senate in 2022 and is now the senior senator from the state. Trump has indulged in anti-immigrant stereotypes long before this year's mass immigration crackdown. When announcing his presidential bid in 2015, he said that Mexico was sending criminals and 'rapists' across the border. 'They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us,' he said at the time. 'They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.' He also raised eyebrows during his final 2016 presidential debate saying that he wanted to get the 'bad hombres' out of the United States. A key pillar of Trump's second presidency has been immigration. He has upended immigration policy through executive orders and an aggressive campaign of raids, detentions, and deportations. Noem's excuse for her agents tackling Padilla was that the senator lunged at her despite them being far apart and several videos showing no evidence to back up her claim. The manhandling of Padilla has incited a wave of backlash from 2028 presidential hopefuls like Governor Gavin Newsom, who called the assault 'outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful.' 'Trump and his shock troops are out of control,' he said. 'This must end now."
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ex-ABC reporter fired over anti-Trump posts warns 'we will lose our democracy' after Padilla incident
Recently fired ABC News correspondent Terry Moran rallied the anti-Trump resistance in a Substack post on Friday, warning that democracy will end if people do not stand up to the current administration. "We will lose this democracy if we do not use our voices," Moran wrote. "What happened to Senator Padilla crystallizes the danger in this moment." Padilla, a Democratic senator from California, was forcibly removed from a news conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday after he approached Noem while she was speaking from the podium and attempted to shout over her. Law enforcement stopped Padilla's advance later pushing him to the ground and handcuffing him. Padilla had a private meeting with Noem after the event. The scuffle went viral and drew ire from Democrats, including Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who condemned the incident as "unacceptable" from the Senate floor on Thursday. Ex-abc Reporter Terry Moran Immediately Moves To Substack After Abrupt Exit Moran, who was let go from ABC this week after penning a social media rant against President Donald Trump and White House aide Stephen Miller, shared a video of Murray's speech in his Substack post. Read On The Fox News App "This is what a democracy is about, Mr. President," Murray said in the video. "It's about us coming to the U.S. Senate, speaking out, asking questions, getting information so we can be their voice. What happens when that voice is stifled? What happens when that voice is thrown to the floor and handcuffed? Our democracy is lost." Moran hailed the senator's emotional plea and encouraged Americans to "stand up for what we know is right." "Senator Murray is right," he wrote. "In institution after institution, from the law firms to the universities to the Senate itself, and beyond the institutions into our everyday lives—force is being applied to your willingness to speak up and tell the truth about what you are seeing and experiencing," he wrote. Abc News' Terry Moran's History Of Attacking Trump Dates Back To First Term In 2017 "In the face of that danger, all of us, sooner or later, will have to make a choice," he urged, saying Americans could either pretend it wasn't happening, "cower before it," or speak out against it. "It's a dark time. But take heart," Moran said. "What a privilege it is to be alive and an American at this moment in our history! What a joy to be able to stand up for what we know is right and best about our beloved country. To lift our voices and tell the truth. And do it together." "Thank you, Senator Murray," his post concluded. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital, "Hasn't Terry Moran already embarrassed himself enough for this week? In addition to his unhinged, late-night, public meltdown, now he's spewing Democrat propaganda. I'm sure all five of his Substack readers will appreciate this dumb take." Moran, who had been at ABC since 1997, found himself in hot water this week after he wrote a scathing social media post early Sunday calling Trump and Miller "world-class haters." He deleted the post but was initially suspended by ABC over the incident. The network fired him on Tuesday, days before his contract with the network was set to expire. "We are at the end of our agreement with Terry Moran and based on his recent post – which was a clear violation of ABC News policies – we have made the decision to not renew," a spokesperson for ABC News previously told Fox News article source: Ex-ABC reporter fired over anti-Trump posts warns 'we will lose our democracy' after Padilla incident
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
ESPN star unleashes on 'out of control' Padilla for crashing Noem press conference
ESPN star Stephen A. Smith slammed Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., on Friday after the lawmaker disrupted Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem's press conference, which led to him being forcibly removed and handcuffed. "Here you have this Sen. Alex Padilla – Can Kristi Noem speak? Could you have waited till she finished to ask your questions, to shout your questions?" he said on "The Stephen A. Smith Show." "You are a senator, right? You couldn't wait? So that was just you out of control because you were just losing it, huh. You, a United States senator, couldn't compose yourself and let the head of Homeland Security finish her thoughts before you ask the question. Couldn't do that, huh? Couldn't do it, huh?" Smith added. Conservatives Erupt After Dem Senator's 'Temper Tantrum' Sends Dhs Presser Off The Rails The DHS endorsed Smith's statements on X after releasing a statement addressing Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass's criticism of their handling of Padilla. "What @stephenasmith said," the account said, with the video of Smith. Read On The Fox News App DHS also tweeted, "Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem. Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers' repeated commands. "@SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately. Secretary Noem met with Senator Padilla after and held a 15 minute meeting." Smith went on to slam Padilla for "propping" himself up. "That's why you should be looking at Governor Wes Moore of Maryland, you should be looking at Josh Shapiro, governor of Pennsylvania," Smith said. "You know, the people that don't engage in this kind of nonsense. You're talking about propping yourself. It's all nonsense. It's all used as a tool to divide us." Padilla, the first Latino elected to the Senate from California, sparked a media firestorm Thursday over the press conference incident where his office says he was trying to ask Noem a question before he was "forcibly removed by federal agents, forced to the ground and handcuffed" in the wake of the Los Angeles riots. Kristi Noem Suspects 'Completely Inappropriate' Democratic Senator 'Wanted The Scene' While Noam was speaking, Padilla attempted to shout over the Trump administration official. Law enforcement intervened to impede Padilla's advance. The video of officers removing and then bringing Padilla to the ground quickly spread among lawmakers on Capitol Hill, with some senators watching the spectacle unfold on the Senate floor. Democratic lawmakers universally condemned the level of force used to remove Padilla, and staged a march to the offices of both House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., in protest. Some demanded that Noem resign from her post. Padilla was blasted by his Republican colleagues for potentially breaking the law and making "a spectacle of himself" rather than fulfilling article source: ESPN star unleashes on 'out of control' Padilla for crashing Noem press conference
Fox News
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Ex-ABC reporter fired over anti-Trump posts warns 'we will lose our democracy' after Padilla incident
Print Close By Kristine Parks Published June 13, 2025 Recently fired ABC News correspondent Terry Moran rallied the anti-Trump resistance in a Substack post on Friday, warning that democracy will end if people do not stand up to the current administration. "We will lose this democracy if we do not use our voices," Moran wrote. "What happened to Senator Padilla crystallizes the danger in this moment." Padilla, a Democratic senator from California, was forcibly removed from a news conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday after he approached Noem while she was speaking from the podium and attempted to shout over her. Law enforcement stopped Padilla's advance later pushing him to the ground and handcuffing him. Padilla had a private meeting with Noem after the event. The scuffle went viral and drew ire from Democrats, including Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who condemned the incident as "unacceptable" from the Senate floor on Thursday. EX-ABC REPORTER TERRY MORAN IMMEDIATELY MOVES TO SUBSTACK AFTER ABRUPT EXIT Moran, who was let go from ABC this week after penning a social media rant against President Donald Trump and White House aide Stephen Miller, shared a video of Murray's speech in his Substack post. "This is what a democracy is about, Mr. President," Murray said in the video. "It's about us coming to the U.S. Senate, speaking out, asking questions, getting information so we can be their voice. What happens when that voice is stifled? What happens when that voice is thrown to the floor and handcuffed? Our democracy is lost." Moran hailed the senator's emotional plea and encouraged Americans to "stand up for what we know is right." "Senator Murray is right," he wrote. "In institution after institution, from the law firms to the universities to the Senate itself, and beyond the institutions into our everyday lives—force is being applied to your willingness to speak up and tell the truth about what you are seeing and experiencing," he wrote. ABC NEWS' TERRY MORAN'S HISTORY OF ATTACKING TRUMP DATES BACK TO FIRST TERM IN 2017 "In the face of that danger, all of us, sooner or later, will have to make a choice," he urged, saying Americans could either pretend it wasn't happening, "cower before it," or speak out against it. "It's a dark time. But take heart," Moran said. "What a privilege it is to be alive and an American at this moment in our history! What a joy to be able to stand up for what we know is right and best about our beloved country. To lift our voices and tell the truth. And do it together." "Thank you, Senator Murray," his post concluded. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital, "Hasn't Terry Moran already embarrassed himself enough for this week? In addition to his unhinged, late-night, public meltdown, now he's spewing Democrat propaganda. I'm sure all five of his Substack readers will appreciate this dumb take." Moran, who had been at ABC since 1997, found himself in hot water this week after he wrote a scathing social media post early Sunday calling Trump and Miller "world-class haters." He deleted the post but was initially suspended by ABC over the incident. The network fired him on Tuesday, days before his contract with the network was set to expire. "We are at the end of our agreement with Terry Moran and based on his recent post – which was a clear violation of ABC News policies – we have made the decision to not renew," a spokesperson for ABC News previously told Fox News Digital. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Print Close URL
Fox News
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
DHS turns tables on Elizabeth Warren after calling for Noem to resign: 'Trying to revise history'
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., joined the chorus of Democrats criticizing Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem after Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was stopped by Secret Service agents after interrupting a DHS press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday. "It's time for Republican Senators to speak up. We need an independent investigation of this," Warren said on MSNBC's "All In with Chris Hayes" on Thursday night. "It is also time for Kristi Noem to resign. She needs to resign," she added. Padilla was briefly placed in handcuffs and kicked out of the room by the Secret Service after he entered the press conference and attempted to ask the secretary a question in the middle of her remarks. He identified himself by name as a senator, but he was not wearing a security pin during the incident, according to the FBI. "Everything is on camera—Warren is trying to revise history on Senator Padilla's embarrassing conduct, but Americans can see with their own eyes," Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated. "Senator Padilla entered a high-security federal facility under false pretenses and crashed an invite-only press conference as law enforcement are working around the clock to calm violent riots," McLaughlin continued. "There's no excuse for busting into a press conference and interrupting it. Had Senator Padilla asked for a meeting, Secretary Noem would have happily obliged, which she graciously did for 15 minutes after the press conference." Padilla tried to manufacture a viral moment and it's embarrassing & disrespectful to law enforcement," she added. The Democrat and Noem did end up having a brief meeting where they exchanged phone numbers. Fox News reported that Noem described the meeting as "cordial and beneficial," and Padilla's office said it was "civil." The press conference addressed the civil unrest in the Los Angeles area as Immigration and Customs Enforcement continues to arrest illegal immigrants. "The Senator met with Secretary Noem this afternoon. He raised concerns with the deployment of military forces and the needless escalation over the last week, among other issues. And he voiced his frustration with the continued lack of response from this administration," Edgar D. Rodríguez, Deputy Communications Director for Padilla, posted to X. "It was a civil, brief meeting, but the Secretary did not provide any meaningful answers. The Senator was simply trying to do his job and seek answers for the people he represents in California," he added. Other Democrats, like California Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Eric Swalwell, have called on Noem to step down. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski condemned how the incident was handled, whereas others, like sports commentator Stephen A. Smith, slammed the incident on his show, hypothetically asking Padilla, "You couldn't wait?"
