I've watched a dozen different clips of what happened. Sen. Padilla identified himself, when Noem should have known who he was, from a state with more undocumented immigrants than any other. If she didn't know him, she's exceptionally ignorant and unqualified. But, we knew that already. Hispanics must all look alike to her.
The Republicans who are talking are spewing nonsense and verifiable lies. All you have to do is watch one clip that covered it all from trying to ask a question, to the hallway where Padilla is forced to the floor, one officer with an FBI patch on the back, and handcuffed.
He was held until Kristi Noem was finished with the news conference, and then they talked for 15 minutes. No clue as to when the handcuffs were taken off, where he was held, and interaction between Padilla and his captors.
After the ordeal, Sen. Padilla read a statement to reporters in English and Spanish - YouTube.
Kristi Noem was doing instant damage control. It won't work.
The lies started immediately with Homeland Security's X post. He wasn't at the Capitol where you wear a pin for the Senate or House. Like the guys who grabbed him were looking for it. The completely made up "lunge." Nobody knew who he was. Lie. Political theater, lie.
Abigail Jackson at the White House made up stuff faster than Leavitt. Lunged at Noem. Wanted theater not answers. An amateur stunt.
Speaker Johnson called it "wildly inappropriate behavior." He even called for the Senate to discipline Sen. Padilla. Amazing.
The only Republican I could find that said the right thing was Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. "It's horrible. It's shocking at every level. It's not the America I know."
Democrats had a lot to say. I could do just a post with Jasmine Crocket, but there are more you should read.
Maxwell Frost got into a shouting match with MTG in the House Oversight Committe, saying that they should question Noem in the committee.
Rep. Melanie Stansbury had a couple of things to say, too.
Nancy Pelosi likened this to being a sign of what to expect from DHS and Trump.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said it all in the fewest words.
In Sen. Padilla's statement, he said he was in a conference room waiting to see federal officials, Gen. Keogh (sic), when he heard that Noem was giving a presser a couple of doors down the hallway and decided to go join it. He and colleagues have been trying to get information about DHS immigration activities and have gotten very little. He went to listen and get more information, and he needed to ask a question about what Noem had just said. "If this is how the administration responds to a Senator with a question, if this is how the Department of Homeland Security responds, to a Senator with a question, you can only imagine what they're doing to farm workers, to cooks, to day laborers, throughout the Los Angeles community, throughout California and throughout the country. We will hold this Administration accountable."
Sen. Padilla said he will have more to say in the coming days.
This all showed up instantly on the hours after the assault. There will be a lot more to come. Are the Nazi brown shirts coming like Sen. Whitehouse asked? I think we've already seen them.
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Just saw Sen. Padilla being interviewed by NBC's Jacob Soboroff on MSNBC played on Chris Hayes show. He opened his zippered jacket to show that he was wearing a polo shirt with an eagle symbol and US Senate on it. Looks exactly like this. Couldn't find a better resolution. You can get it here at the DC Gift shop for $59. He had his jacket open at Noem's presser and I saw the logo and wondered what it was.
