Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) weighed in on the video of Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) being forcibly removed and handcuffed after interrupting Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference, saying it was “shocking at every level.”
“I’ve seen that one clip. It’s horrible. It is — it is shocking at every level. It’s not the America I know,” the Alaska senator told reporters Thursday on Capitol Hill, according to multiple news outlets.
The video from the Thursday press conference in Los Angeles shows Padilla identifying himself as a U.S. senator, walking forward and saying that he wanted to ask Noem a question. The California Democrat was then pushed by security through the door of the room, taken to the ground and handcuffed.
The White House slammed Padilla, accusing the lawmaker of craving attention and arguing that Democrats are more concerned about the incident than the protests, which have been unfolding in Los Angeles for several days.
“Padilla stormed a press conference, without wearing his Senate pin or previously identifying himself to security, yelled, and lunged toward Secretary Noem. Padilla didn’t want answers; he wanted attention,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement on Thursday.
Video shows Padilla identifying himself as a senator.
“Padilla embarrassed himself and his constituents with this immature, theater-kid stunt — but it’s telling that Democrats are more riled up about Padilla than they are about the violent riots and assaults on law enforcement in LA,” Jackson added.
The incident was strongly condemned by Democrats, with some senators, including Sens. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), calling on Noem to resign.
“At one point I had a question. And let me emphasize, just emphasize the right for people to peacefully protest and to stand up for their First Amendment rights, for our fundamental rights. I was there peacefully. At one point I had a question, and so I began to ask a question,” Padilla said at a press conference after the mishap.
Padilla added that although he was handcuffed, he was not detained or arrested.
“Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands,” DHS said in a statement after the incident, which also accused Padilla of not identifying himself.
“@SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately,” DHS said, adding that Noem and Padilla had a 15-minute meeting afterward.
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