Sen. Adam Schiff on Sunday called the handcuffing of fellow California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla “atrocious” after Padilla was forcibly removed for interrupting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference in Los Angeles.
“To see him mistreated that way and tackled to the ground and shackled that way and in the midst of what we’re seeing more broadly in Los Angeles is just atrocious,” Schiff told NBC’s Kristen Welker on “Meet The Press.” “And I think all of us that work with him reacted with that kind of revulsion.”
Schiff defended Padilla, saying he had “every right” to attend Noem’s press conference and ask a question. He also pointed out that Padilla had been escorted into the room and had identified himself before the incident.
“He tried to ask the secretary a question, a secretary who clearly doesn’t want to answer questions about the lawless acts of the Department of Homeland Security that we are seeing in Los Angeles,” Schiff said. “So he had every right to do so. That’s part of his oversight responsibilities.”
“For those of us that know Alex, and you would be hard pressed to find a more beloved senator on either side of the aisle, respected by members on both sides of the aisle, you know, for his intellect, for his demeanor. This is not some rabble-rouser,” Schiff added.
Video on Thursday shows Padilla being forced to the ground and then handcuffed after interrupting Noem’s press conference, with the lawmaker identifying himself by name and title and saying he wished to ask a question.
Trump administration officials said Secret Service agents responded as trained — removing an unknown figure as he pushed his way toward the front of a press conference.
In a Thursday post on the social platform X, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said, “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.”
Padilla showed up to the presser after days of protests sparked by immigration raids in the Los Angeles area. The Trump administration deployed the Marines and the National Guard to LA last week, arguing troops are needed to safeguard personnel and buildings amid the demonstrations. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, LA Mayor Karen Bass and other Democrats have slammed the move.
A federal appeals court panel on Thursday temporarily lifted a judge’s order ruling Trump’s deployment of the National Guard was illegal, allowing troops to continue helping with immigration raids in the city. The ruling came only hours after U.S District Judge Charles Breyer ordered Trump to return control of the troops to Newsom by Friday afternoon.
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