California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) issued a fiery response after Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) was forcibly taken out of a Department of Homeland Security press event and placed in handcuffs following a heated confrontation with Secretary Kristi Noem.
The disruption occurred Thursday in Los Angeles when Padilla began shouting during Noem’s remarks, refusing to stand down. Security agents quickly intervened, removed him from the room, and eventually restrained him on the ground before applying handcuffs.
Governor Newsom reacted strongly to the spectacle, accusing President Donald Trump of authoritarian behavior and drawing parallels to totalitarian regimes. “Senator Alex Padilla is one of the most decent people I know,” Newsom posted on X. “This is outrageous, dictatorial, and shameful. Trump and his shock troops are out of control. This must end now.”
Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) joined in the outcry, demanding a formal probe into the conduct of the officers who handled the removal of Padilla. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) expressed alarm as well, stating he wants “immediate answers to what the hell went on,” while Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) labeled the episode “abhorrent and outrageous.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, who previously lost her bid for the presidency, condemned the situation in the strongest terms, describing it as an egregious display of overreach. “United States Senator Alex Padilla was representing the millions of Californians who are demanding answers to this Administration’s actions in Southern California,” Harris wrote on X. “This is a shameful and stunning abuse of power.”

{Matzav.com}