Our forthcoming book is The Comeback: The 2024 Elections and American Politics. The second Trump administration is off to an ominous start
In a disturbing and unprecedented move, FBI agents grabbed the sitting California Senator, dragged him out of the room, and shoved him to the ground, handcuffing him even after he identified himself. Video Courtesy of the Office of Senator Alex Padilla. pic.twitter.com/s5ON5cTxXs
— Santa Monica Mirror (@SMMirror) June 13, 2025
Michael Luciano at Mediaite:Padilla: From the moment I entered the building, I'm being escorted by a member of the National Guard and an FBI agent. I asked, well, since we're waiting, can we go listen in to the press conference? They escort me over to the press conference. They opened the door for me. pic.twitter.com/R3ur8msJKh
— Acyn (@Acyn) June 12, 2025
While Padilla’s treatment understandably received all the attention, lost in the incident was a pledge from Noem that the federal government will “liberate” Los Angeles from the leaders the city’s voters elected to represent them:
The Department of Homeland Security and the officers and the agencies and the departments and the military people that are working on this operation will continue to sustain and increase our operations in this city. We are not going away. We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialists and the burdensome leadership that this governor and that this mayor had placed on this country and what they have tried to insert into the city.
It was at that point, Padilla interrupted and was physically pushed out of the room and into a hallway, where he was handcuffed.
