Escalating an already acrimonious relationship between Donald Trump associates and members of congress, Senator Alex Padilla (D.-Ca) was “forcibly removed,” slammed to the floor and handcuffed by “Secret Service” and “FBI agents” at a Kristi Noem presser.
As Jenna Amatulli, Lauren Gambino and Chris Stein write for The Guardian, video of the incident went viral online and showed Padilla clearly identifying himself before attempting to ask a question.
Alex Padilla, a Democratic California senator and vocal critic of the Trump administration’s immigration polices, was forcibly removed and handcuffed as he attempted to ask a question at a press conference held by Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, in Los Angeles on Thursday. In video taken of the incident, Padilla is seen being restrained and removed from the room by Secret Service and FBI agents. ‘I’m Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,’ Padilla shouts, as he struggles to move past against the men pushing him back toward the exit. ‘Hands off!’ Padilla says at least three times. Outside the room, he is pinned to the floor and placed in handcuffs.
Jenna Amatulli, Lauren Gambino and Chris Stein for The Guardian
The fascistic scuffle, Guardian added, drew condemnation from Democrats and scorn from Republicans… directed at Padilla.
The extraordinary scene stunned his Democratic colleagues from Capitol Hill to California, though his actions drew criticism from Republicans, including the House speaker, Mike Johnson, who called for Padilla’s censure. It comes amid escalating tensions between California and the federal government, after Donald Trump deployed national guard troops and US Marines to LA to quell protests prompted by immigration raids, over the objections of the state’s governor and the city’s mayor.
Jenna Amatulli, Lauren Gambino and Chris Stein for The Guardian
Senator Adam Schiff was quick to condemn the incident. “I am shocked by how far we have descended in the first 140 days of this administration,” he said. “What is becoming of our democracy? Are there no limits to what this administration will do? Is there no line they will not cross?”
AUTHOR FOOTNOTE
No, Senator, there is no line they will not cross, and not bottom on which to land. If we’ve learned anything in these long, four months, it’s that lesson. Things will get even worse than they are now.
So in addition to GOP goons clutching pearls over what was, objectively, the “authoritarian manhandle” of Senator Padilla—promising to censure the assault victim—the DHS account on Elon‘s Xitter proceeded to lie about what had transpired.
Here’s the simple truth: Alex Padilla was attempting to, via polite-but-direct questions at a press conference (kind of the point of those), conduct Constitutionally mandated oversight of Noem’s agency. Why was it necessary? According to The Guardian, because Noem and her mob-lieutenants completely blew off repeated requests for explanations about her unlawful behavior.
Padilla, the ranking member of the judiciary subcommittee on immigration, citizenship and border safety, said he and his colleagues had repeatedly asked DHS for more information on its ‘increasingly extreme immigration enforcement actions’ but had not received a response to his inquiries.
Jenna Amatulli, Lauren Gambino and Chris Stein for The Guardian
This is pretty simple, actually. Fascists don’t enjoy getting told their business. And since they temporarily control government now (as well as law enforcement), those same folks can do as they please and democracy can suck it. A full day after the assault (which, to my eye, is both a crime and unconstitutional simultaneously), we still don’t know the identities of the assaulting officers—or even if they are official government agents at all. (That’s why I put them in quotes in my lede paragraph by the way.)
On social media I always say “your ire directed at politicians should always be bipartisan.” Here’s why: Chuck Schumer said it was “sickening” and that he demanded “immediate answers”—and then proceeded to continue with Senate business like nothing happened.
All congressional business needs to be brought to a stop by Democrats. All of it. No nominations, bills, Senate business… nothing. To profess outrage and then turn around and allow the Senate to keep moving—on a crypto bill Donald is desperate to deface with his Big Mac EKG signature—is an outrage all on its own.
