Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) got owned at a Department of Homeland Security presser in Los Angeles yesterday. It was the top story for the day until Israel started conducting airstrikes against Iran. But for a few hours, there were numerous Democrats who were shocked, appalled, and queasy. What a bunch of prima donnas. First, Padilla never identified himself as a US Senator; he bum-rushed the podium that Secretary Kristi Noem occupied. Second, we know the Left was going to frame this as a ‘Trump is a dictator’ moment. Padilla certainly did that after the scuffle.
But Noem said the two talked afterward and exchanged numbers, so the hyperbole and the theatrics were exposed again. Not even CNN could hide it; their security correspondent faulted Padilla.
HAHA Even CNN is calling out @SenAlexPadilla for pulling a STUNT to get him attention.
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) June 12, 2025
Weird how both Karen Bass and Newsom posted about this before the cuffs were on.
Democrats will do ANYTHING for their 5 minutes of fame. No wonder they're polling at 21%. pic.twitter.com/9jnbHWawVM
Omg. CNN brought on their legal expert in hopes that he would side with Sen. Padilla over DHS.
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) June 12, 2025
They were wrong.
“Officers are trying to lead him out, he turns and walks into those agents. At that point…we’re taking that person out against their will.”pic.twitter.com/0yD7jIIbbp
It’s simple: U.S. Senators are briefed on identifying themselves to avoid being bogged down by the cops sans senatorial pin, especially as they navigate the various government buildings in Washington, DC. Here's the tweet that blows up all the Democrat talking points that are likely dead, like most of Iran's IRGC right now:
U.S. Senators receive security briefings including methods to identify themselves to police to avoid being hassled in Senate office buildings. If you’re not wearing your senatorial pin or any other identifying clothing like a suit you did it deliberately. https://t.co/srKWlv9J9M
— Anang Mittal अनंग मित्तल (@anangbhai) June 12, 2025
CNN’s Stephanie Elam also said Padilla didn’t identify himself.
WATCH: CNN's Stephanie Elam specifically tells Jake Tapper that Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) "did not identify himself first when he was asking the question and interrupting her."
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) June 12, 2025
But Tapper did not correct or fact-check Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) when she twice lied and… pic.twitter.com/rqG0PWGIrt
It was just a total disaster and a sinking of the Titanic moment regarding witnessing the destruction of a manufactured talking point. Padilla knew what would come of this, and it got exposed within hours, though it’s not like he made this hard. It’s not the Da Vinci Code. It was transparent as hell, and it failed. It blew up, much like Tehran last night.
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UPDATE: Even CBS News exposed Padilla's street performance:
Performance art goes very, very wrong. Because when you’ve lost CBS News… https://t.co/RtoWBUxaVw
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) June 13, 2025