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Posted on 06/13/2025 12:52:27 PM PDT by Red Badger
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith criticized Democratic California Sen. Alex Padilla on Thursday for his disruptive behavior during a press conference held by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem.
Padilla interrupted Noem’s remarks, prompting security to forcibly remove him from the room; the senator ended up face down on the ground in handcuffs just outside. Smith, on “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” suggested Padilla’s behavior was inappropriate and beneath the standard expected of a United States senator.
VIDEO AT LINK.....................
“Can Kristi Noem speak? Could you have waited till she finished to ask your questions — to shout your questions?” Smith asked. “You are a senator, right? You couldn’t wait? So that was just you out of control because you were just losing it, huh?”
“You — a United States senator — couldn’t compose yourself and let the head of Homeland Security finish her thoughts before you asked a question?” he continued. “Couldn’t do that, huh? Couldn’t do it, huh?”
Later in the show, Smith answered one of his own questions, saying, “We all know you could have waited for her to finish speaking.” He also clarified that although he agreed with Padilla’s removal, he did not support the handcuffing, calling it “very disrespectful” due to his status as a senator.
“They had no business putting cuffs on Senator Padilla. Escorting him out of the room — even forcibly — was within bounds. The secretary for Homeland Security was speaking. You let her finish,” he said. “You don’t want to let her finish? Then hey, they definitely should have removed you from the room. That is it. They didn’t need to put you on the ground. They didn’t need to handcuff you. All they needed to do was keep you out of the room.”
Noem was speaking about the riots taking place in Los Angeles before Padilla began shouting a question at her. Security quickly rushed to Padilla, telling him to put his hands up.
After pushing Padilla out of the conference room, the senator was told to lie on his stomach as police placed him in handcuffs.
🚨
WATCH: California Senator Alex Padilla handcuffed after being forcibly removed for interrupting a press conference held by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem earlier today. https://t.co/F8XSaxSRox pic.twitter.com/23Axb8L2zU
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 12, 2025
Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin criticized Padilla for his behavior in an X post following the incident.
“Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem,” McLaughlin wrote.
“Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands,” she continued. “@SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately.”
McLaughlin added that Padilla and Noem subsequently convened for a 15-minute meeting.
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Does Stephen A. Smith not fear being attacked by his “friends” in the Donkey Party?
Because if this line of criticism from him against party members keeps up, they will begin to attack him.
Don’t really care for him but he is spot on with this.
The Mexican senator was merely acting on his cultural heritage. He is the macho prince and he has the right to invade the female’s space.
Did they know he was a US Senator? He was in LA. He was dressed like a zhlub. He had no escort, no security pin, no staffers. He barged in and marched towards the stage. Yes escort him out and yes, detain him until they can verify he isn’t a threat and there were no charges to file.
His behavior was atrocious. Not the proper decorum for a US Senator. He later ranted about his free speech rights being infringed. No they were not. His right to speech doesn’t extend to inhibiting Noem’s free speech rights. This wasn’t a street protest it was in a federal building. His comrades later complained that he was prevented from doing oversight. More BS. Oversight does not mean you ambush a Cabinet secretary in the middle of a speech. There would have been plenty of time to talk later or ask questions if there was a Q&A session after the briefing. And indeed the senator and the secretary did sit and talk for 15 minutes afterwards. So all if his antics were just the racings of a lunatic trying to make the news. IMO he didn’t come across well. Maybe 30% of Democrats Will approve of this most everyone else will think he’s just a lunatic. Someone needs to primary him.
All the Leftists parroting that he was a US Senator and they treated him so poorly! Oh my, clutch my pearls!
He was handled the same way any person who barged in on a democrat making a speech and being rudely interrupted by that person.
So, he’s a senator... Are senators above the law, as Nancy Pelosi said even the president was not?
Thank you, Steven A Smith
A compliant fake media would have given him ample free prime airtime to try and twist this to fit the leftist narrative, but he just couldn’t wait. Poor impulse control. And this is a public servant. Surprised he didn’t try to rip her beating heart out of her chest.
Looks like Steve looking for sister solider moment. Way to go, savvy and smart. Probably won’t even consider voting for him but at least he has at least two gray cells bumping into each other
A whole lot of people are emotionally immature and need to grow up.
Impulse control?? NOT!
After all the rhetoric coming from Maxine Watters and others to harm Republicans, the threats to members of the SCOTUS and many others without a peep out of one single dem, I could care less about this thug senator. Cabinet members have to be protected. The dems are nuts. What a drama queens he and his leftist cohorts in the media are. Boo Hoo.
Padilla is a sexist. Bullying women. What a disgrace.
Stephen A Smith, Bill Maher and John Fetterman should announce that they're MAGA.
“Did they know he was a US Senator? He was in LA. He was dressed like a zhlub.”
“Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin criticized Padilla for his behavior in an X post following the incident.
“Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem,” McLaughlin wrote.
“Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers’ repeated commands,” she continued. “@SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately.””
Do not underestimate SAS when 2028 rolls around.
I doubt he could beat JDV in the general election, but he will be a force in the Democrat party.
If he positions himself as a JFK Democrat, he could have a big impact.
That's the Democrats' latest canard to justify their recent boorish behavior.
Proper oversight is when Senators are in committee holding hearings where the Secretary of Homeland Security is called to answer questions.
Oversight is not shouting questions from whatever street corner they happen to be standing at.
-PJ
What does someone from ESPN need to ever say about a non-sports figure doing a political stunt?
He got what he deserved.
Padilla Gorilla takes himself too seriously. Everyone else is laughing at the Street Taco thug.
Seriously, Stephen Smith?
It was not “out of control behavior.” It was a carefully contrived political stunt designed to force security to act exactly as they did.
Given this bozo’s actions, security had no choice but to protect their Secretary as they did.
And it was a freebee for the Senator. He knew he would pay no consequences and yet get the footage to put online.
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