Yesterday a shocking episode unfolded. California Senator Alex Padilla came into the new conference being conducted by Director of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, shouting questions and was forcibly removed by the security detail. I have watched videos of the events from multiple angles. I have been struck by two questions: what should have happened and how could that have been effected?
IMO everything hinges on whether the security personnel recognized Senator Padilla as a sitting senator? Answering “of course they did” is too pat. I couldn’t pick all of the U. S. senators out of a crowd consisting of mixed elected officials are other individuals. Are FBI and Homeland Security agents routinely trained to recognize all of the members of the Senate, House, governors of states, etc.? Did they recognize him and should they have? If they recognized him and treated him as they did they should be severely disciplined. If they did not recognize him they did nothing wrong.
As far as Sen. Padilla’s comportment goes, rather clearly his actions were a breach of decorum if nothing else.
Update
At Axios Andrew Solender quotes Maine Democrat Rep. Jared Golden on the incident:
- “I think that it’s never good when a senator or member of Congress gets roughed up by law enforcement,” he said in an interview with Axios at the Capitol.
- But, he added, “I don’t think politics as theater is what our job is here.”
which I think are rather prudent observations.
At Mediaite Joe DePaolo quotes CNN Security Analyst Josh Campbell:
“From a law enforcement perspective, we’re really looking at three separate incidents that happened within a short period of time,” Campbell explained. “First, you have the DHS secretary who was addressing the press. This was not a Q&A period, and she was interrupted. She was interrupted by someone who was speaking very loudly. And so her security detail confronts what we obviously now know to be the senator. And at that point, he is now going to be escorted out. You can’t interrupt something like that that’s already in progress without having those consequences.
“The second incident, in my view, happens the moment — as officers are trying to lead him out — he then turns and walks back towards kind of into those agents. At that point, from a security detail perspective, we’re taking this person out against their will. We’ve asked the person — and again, this is all happening very quickly — but the moment he then turns into them, they realize this is not someone who is going to comply.”
Campbell, though, did express some concern about the agents forcing Senator Padilla to the floor and handcuffing him after he had already been ejected from the press conference.
“IMO everything hinges on whether the security personnel recognized Senator Padilla as a sitting senator?”
I thought the same thing initially, but then I thought about it a little deeper. What if I had gone into a briefing and did exactly what he had done? I imagine the response would have been almost identical from the security personnel. Should Senators and Representatives have special privileges that don’t apply the the rest of us?
I agree up to the point at which they had him in the hall, wrestled him to the ground, and cuffed him. I doubt they would have done that if they had known he was a senator.
The guy is a long time political figure in California. He was in a federal building where everyone had a security clearance. He was being accompanied by a Nat Guard member. He identified himself as a senator. No doubt he was trying to create some theater, but so was Noem.
I dont think anyone should be taken to the ground and handcuffed just for trying to ask a public official a question, especially in a secure federal facility. They arent royalty. If someone actually fights that is different but that was not the case here. One person supposedly walking toward 4 or 5 others is not a risk if they arent armed. (This mostly sounds like a hyper-aggressive security team that had decided ahead of time they were taking anyone to the ground and cuffing them if people weren’t instantly obedient.)
If Noem merits protection carrying out her duties, why doesn’t a senator? Even if it’s mostly theater opposition officials have a duty to challenge those in power.
Steve
Lest there be any doubt about Noem being engaged in theater quote below is what she said before Padilla tried to ask a question.
““We are not going away. We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and burdensome leadership that this Governor Newsom and this mayor placed on this country and what they have tried to insert into this city”
Steve