This seems like a significant escalation:
AP footage of Senator Alex Padilla being physically removed from Kristi Noem’s press conference about the LA @schiff.senate.gov @congresstran.bsky.social
Thank you, Senator @padilla.senate.gov
— Arthur Anderson (@uabyyruwi.bsky.social) June 12, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I can’t make out exactly what he’s saying in the clip — something about violent criminals rotating through ICE? (We know they made January 6 goons eligible for employment.)
MN Senator Tina Smith shared a photo from one of Padilla’s staffers.
This is disgusting.
If this is how they treat Alex Padilla, a United States Senator, how do you think they’ll treat you?
— Tina Smith (@smith.senate.gov) June 12, 2025 at 2:39 PM
This is fucked up, y’all.
Open thread.
ETA: Here’s a video of the goons taking the senator down and cuffing him. (H/T: Kelly)
California Sen. Alex Padilla was just forcibly removed from a DHS press conference and handcuffed.
"I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary."
Video from @Elex_Michaelson on X via Padilla's staff.
— Democracy Docket (@democracydocket.com) June 12, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Kelly
Video of taking him down and hand cuffing
https://bsky.app/profile/democracydocket.com/post/3lrgkqrrts22p
Mr. Bemused Senior
It was a perfect storm of mistakes. /s
Betty Cracker
@Kelly: Added that clip to the post. Thank you!
Jeffro
Kristi Noem at that press conference: ” DHS is staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and this mayor have placed on this country and what they have tried to insert into this city.”
so…no longer looking for ‘violent illegal immigrants’, then?
mission creep is a helluva thing…
Steve LaBonne
@Jeffro: Gee, you think maybe even Jake Tapper can understand what this means? Nah, probably not.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
In their defense, how did they really know it was a US Senator?
After all, he looks like all those other illegals from south of the border. He could have just said anything in order to get close to the Secretary in order to inflict harm on her.
Or breath the same air she’s breathing and we can’t have even that.
So they were just exercising good cautionary procedures. Always remember, it’s what 77 million ‘Murkins voted for so they’re just following the will of the voters.
The above should be snark, alas, it’s far from it in reality.
Salty Sam
Who has violently invaded and occupied whom?
Lobo
They do this because of who we are. They roughed up a fellow homie. I identify as Chicano and Latino.
If you want to do something: Call Senators and urge them to use the Congressional Review Act. It is privileged and uses 10 hours of time. It needs thirty senators.
For everyone so concerned about flags, buy a bunch of American Flags and deliver them to the protests. We are a proud bunch and taking it on the chin right now. I only post to urge action. I understand why Mistermix and Kay left. Not worth the hassle of interacting otherwise.
We are at that line.
RandomMonster
“To be fair, his last name is Padilla.”
– Trump Administration, probably
Ishiyama
What the Democratic Party needs is an new version of the Self-Denying Ordinance to get rid of the shirkers and losers in the party who don’t want to, or don’t know how to fight like their lives depend on it.
Captain C
FTFNYT: Uppity Senator Causes Scuffle with Heroic Law Enforcement While Harrassing Highly Competent Noem
Jeffro
@Steve LaBonne: I bet Terry Moran understands it.
Marc
@Jeffro:
It’s definitely time for mass protests to demonstrate that neither the leadership nor the people of CA are willing to obey fascist threats.
Scout211
NBC has the story up with Democratic pols reactions.
prostratedragon
Thank you for posting so quickly, BC. Main rally in Chicago Saturday at Daley Plaza (city property) noon–2pm. Other towns such as Evanston, LaGrange, and Oak Park also have something planned. According to link, an anti-ICE march downtown at 4pm today. Don’t know where, but there’s a photo of a large one Tuesday taken near State & Lake.
jonas
We’ll see if this warrants more than just a strongly-worded letter of concern from Chuck Schumer
ETA — hadn’t seen Scout’s comment above with Schumer’s remarks, but still…
Steve LaBonne
@Scout211: Use every possible tactic- eg. privileged motions- to shut the Senate down for as long as possible. And no cooperation on the debt ceiling. The time for sternly worded letters is long past.
laura
He is My Senior Senator and I have immense respect for him and his staff both here in state and in D.C. The general awfulness is sharpening into the personal and closer to home. They hate us, they mean to harm us, they have a large portion of our fellow Americans that lusts for this and our media betters provide cover for this fuckery all day every day. I’m in a mood.
Lobo
Procedural Tools for Congress to Slow Down MAGA
Phone scripts and sample language to ask your reps to draw the line
https://susanrogan.substack.com/p/procedural-tools-for-congress-to
Let me know if you hear me or if I am banned for some crime against humanity.
Please call your representatives. I am also in a mood.
Suzanne
@Lobo: You’re not banned, I hear you.
I am absolutely horrified.
We need to name and shame these goons, and their bosses, all the way to the FFOTUS.
laura
@Lobo: I have my Congresswoman and both Senators’s phone numbers on my cell and you be damn sure calls will be made right now because this fuckery cannot stand.
Betty Cracker
@Lobo: You aren’t banned. FWIW, I appreciate your comments.
ArchTeryx
Where in the hell was Padilla’s security? They should have been all over these DHS goons the moment they laid hands on a U.S. Senator. Are they all Trumpanzees now?
Steve in the ATL
Has there been any reaction from RW media? Or the t***p administration?
blindyone
Senator Padilla grew up in Pacoima ( where I was an elementary schoolteacher for several years) graduated from San Fernando HS ( I graduated from a nearby HS) and graduated from MIT. His background alone makes him an extraordinary individual. This is a deliberately provocative insult to many people I’ve lived and worked with.
Steve LaBonne
So Noem said Padilla “lunged forward without identifying himself”. You lying piece of shit, we’ve all seen the video.
Scout211
Noem was asked about it at the presser.
Sure, sure, ICE Barbie. We really believe you, because you always are so reasonable. //
Another Scott
Agreed that this seems significant. It should make all senators furious.
Another potentially significant bit of news – TheList on lack of interest in 47’s parade:
[ womp, womp ]
I just checked Travelocity – there do indeed seem to be plenty of rooms available that aren’t hugely expensive (e.g. 2 people 2 nights < $200 total).
Here's hoping the No Kings events get lots of attendance, rain or no rain.
Forward!!
Best wishes,
Scott.
Steve LaBonne
@ArchTeryx: Senators don’t have security details AFAIK.
blindyone
@Salty Sam: Indeed.
lowtechcyclist
@Jeffro:
As I said downstairs, she’s directly stated that she is using force in/against Los Angeles because she doesn’t like the politics of the elected mayor and governor of the city and the state. (And one of its Senators, obviously.)
This is a coup, and she is a traitor.
George
@jonas:
Comments like yours are pointless. Instead of attacking the administration, you choose to attack an ally. Brilliant.
JoyceH
DHS claims that they didn’t know who Padilla was and that he “lunged” at the Secretary. Uh… they do know that numerous cameras were recording everything, right?
Kelly
It seems possible but ridiculous that Noem’s staff didn’t know who he is. Also I think Sen Padilla put up a sensible amount of restance. He’s a big guy.
Belafon
@Jeffro: Do you have a link to a story with that?
Betty Cracker
Nazi Cow Noem made some comments (i.e., told some lies) after the incident: (CNN)
He identified himself in the briefing room, as everyone could hear. And it didn’t look like a general briefing that anyone could attend, given the number of people present. They weren’t just letting randos in, I’m sure.
Wrong, Nazi Cow. What’s inappropriate is your fucking goons throwing people on the floor.
Also, I am looking forward to hearing more about the violent criminals in ICE, which is what I think Senator Padilla was trying to ask questions about?
Lobo
@Betty Cracker: Thanks. Please call and demand Senators shut it all down. Wow!
Glidwrith
@ArchTeryx: The press conference was literally in an FBI building. Why would the Senator expect to need security?
The recording above was one of his people.
Steve LaBonne
@Kelly: HE IDENTIFIED HIMSELF. It’s quite audible in the video.
AM in NC
So I just went on FOX’s website to see how they present this, and it is just such an alternate reality – and the comments are even worse. I don’t know how we ever get back to decency and reality until billionaire-owned disinformation sources are dealt with. Sinclair, Clear Channel, FOX, the Mercers, OAN, Twitter/X, and on and on, and on.
I used to feel hopeful (and I am not going to stop fighting, regardless), but the brainwashing of millions of Americans is a serious, deadly problem that we have not begun to grapple with in a meaningful way.
Redshift
@ArchTeryx:
What security? Senators don’t routinely have security outside of the Capitol unless they’re in leadership or there’s been a credible threat.
Chief Oshkosh
@Scout211: I’m not sure how I’d react in their shoes, and maybe they said more and acted with, you know, actual actions, but this is some very weak tea: “We’re outraged! We demand investigations!!!”
Goddammit, how about at least “We encourage ALL real Americans to join the No Kings peaceful protest movement! or some other words or actions of actual leadership.
Steve LaBonne
@JoyceH: Who ya gonna believe, the Dog Murderer or your lying eyes?
Montanareddog
@Captain C: FTFNYT “DHS Sec. Kristi Noem ups the stakes in dispute with CA politicians”
Belafon
@George: It’s not even the first comment in this thread that is trying to shift the story from Noem and Padilla to the problem with Democrats.
Betty Cracker
@Lobo: I will, but fat lot of good it will do as my two U.S. senators are Rick Scott (a MAGA piece of shit) and Ashley Moody, a DeSantis appointee (and therefore also a piece of shit).
O. Felix Culpa
@Lobo:
Huh? If we’re so worthless, why do you bother with us? Feel free to return to your safe space.
That said, we’re in a crisis and it’s all hands on deck. First fight the fascists, and then turn on each other after the glorious victory.
Lobo
@Betty Cracker: Sorry to hear about your Senators. All you with Democratic Senators. Light a fire under their …
Kelly
@Steve LaBonne: He definitely did. However Noem’s staff could easily be such amateurs that they didn’t know who is Senator from CA or didn’t recognize his face. Incompetent or malicious? Probably both
AM in NC
@Lobo: I called both of my useless GOP Senators after seeing this and told them I don’t want to see violent hands laid on them or any other US Senator. WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AUTHORITARIAN VIOLENCE, SENATOR? And I told that Sec. Noem was both LYING and calling for federal authorities to “liberate” LA from the duly elected Mayor and Governor. How is this Constitutional, Senator? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!
Every one of us needs to be taking action. Many actions.
O. Felix Culpa
@Kelly: He doesn’t pass the paper bag test, therefore dangerous.
Belafon
@O. Felix Culpa: But not until after. Don’t start when it looks like victory is close. Hand grenades and horseshoes.
NeenerNeener
@Another Scott: They’re recruiting seat fillers for that day, too, recruited by some company called Fight Fight Fight LLC. Supposedly paying $1000 in crypto. Extras are supposed to wear white and blue and wear red MAGA hats. I wish I could paste the news article but this little box won’t let me and the email I got doesn’t have a link.
What’s going on in LA right now is probably going to happen in NYC and Chicago, too, isn’t it?
PatD
Well, I’m not a Newsom fan but he’s probably the best right now at using every opportunity to attack Republicans in the clearest possible terms. The only way to get Trump to back down is to make this politically costly. Otherwise, it’s our new normal everywhere in the country.
Betty Cracker
@PatD: You’re right; Newsom really has stepped up. Also, if polls are to be believed, Trump is paying politically. His numbers are terrible, including on the deportation push.
Trollhattan
@Steve LaBonne:
Anytime Noem looks at a Democrat she sees Cricket.
Trump is so lucky to have her.
trnc
Will the legacy media show this unadulterated crap without some lame defense of the administration or both siderism?
Omnes Omnibus
Every Senator (D or R) should be up in arms about this.
Josie
@NeenerNeener:
Maybe forward the email to a front pager with a message explaining what is in it?
Trollhattan
@PatD:
I award points for his saying “Trump and his shock troops.” Because that’s who and what they are.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
So, since it turned out there is no riot in LA, Trump is distracting from the 3,000 or so soldiers and marine holding their dicks by attacking a US senator for asking a question. Just wow.
Karen S.
@Another Scott: The Trumpers are hoping to paper the house with paid (in cryptocurrency) “talent.”
O. Felix Culpa
@Omnes Omnibus: Agreed. I’m curious to see how R Senators respond, if at all.
Trollhattan
@Omnes Omnibus:
Anticipating Susan Collins setting furrow level to Ditch.
...now I try to be amused
@Trollhattan:
Sturmabteilung?
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@Steve LaBonne:
Sounds like (D) Senators, particularly those with melanin, need a security detail to protect them from the Executive Branch’s security detail.
Trollhattan
A different assault on California proceeds.
It was just today I learned EVs are not built by “the car industry.” The hell do they come from, I wonder?
Raoul Paste
It just emphasizes that Krugman is right.
Belafon
@Betty Cracker: Which is why he will only get worse. He thinks the reaction will help him.
Lobo
@AM in NC: Thanks to all contacting their representatives. If you are out in any No Kings rally this weekend, keep safe and protest peacefully.
Sherparick1
@Jeffro: Yea, no need to have silly elections says the puppy killer. Also, she like Trump has defined all Democrats and anti-Trump Amerircans as “socialists” who have no rights.
Trollhattan
@…now I try to be amused:
Seems to be where we’re at in the sequence. Schutzstaffel would be my other thought.
Belafon
@Trollhattan: I believe windmills give birth to them after the bird sacrifices.
WTFGhost
@Another Scott: (who quoted)
“exponentially”
I now will rant.
Exponential growth has a very specific meaning. It means the growth is based upon the current size. If it doubles in size, it will then be growing twice as fast as it is, now. (Technically, exponential growth that’s negative is exponential decay, and it shows the same property – it shrinks half as fast, when it’s shrunk to half its size. This is why the term “half-life” came from.)
The number of people involved didn’t grow “exponentially” from 300 to 6600 – the number of people changed by an order of magnitude, or went up by 2100%.
Baud
@NeenerNeener:
There was some doubt on Reddit whether that was real.
Another Scott
@AM in NC: I think we have to remember that the folks you hear on these sites like Fox and so forth are not representative. Most people are working this time of day, not watching TV.
I’ve related this story before:
When I was a kid in the Atlanta suburbs in the early ’70s, I liked to listen to Neil Boortz on a tiny Atlanta talk radio station. One quiet Saturday afternoon he had an “open phones” thing and a (white) woman called in to vent about being stopped by a traffic cop and getting yelled at for something or other, when she had not done anything wrong, hadn’t done what he was yelling about, and the cop didn’t give her a ticket before letting her go. She thought it was unfair and abusive and wanted people to be aware.
Boortz listened to her story, made some non-committal remark, then when she was off the air, started in the next few minutes twisting what she said and turning it into her attacking the police who were just doing their job, etc., etc. One could see that it was deliberate, that he knew he could take her call and twist it into something that would rile up his listeners and get them to participate. And, like clockwork, the phones lit up with everyone elaborating on his version of what she said, which was diametrically opposed to what she had actually said.
10 year old me couldn’t believe it. It was bad enough that I called in and said that he was twisting what she said and should apologize. Someone else 2-3 calls after me agreed with my version.
The point is, lots of people (but not most people, and not most normies) want to rally for their team and their leaders. They want to be led. It really doesn’t matter what the facts of some event are. It’s a tribal thing. They enjoy being in their tribe and enjoy being riled up.
Similarly this horrible abusive stuff with Noem, and Fox News’s coverage.
And abusive stuff like what happened to Sen Padilla and many others will keep happening until there are consequences. The Senate needs to step up and say ENOUGH. As do many, many institutions.
Grrr…
Thanks.
Best wishes,
Scott.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@PatD:
Well, I’m not a Newsom fan but he’s probably the best right now at using every opportunity to attack Republicans in the clearest possible terms.
Yup. I don’t hid non-liking of Governor Goodhair II and don’t want him to every be President. But, his good qualities do bubble up from time to time (standing up for Biden last year, standing up to Hair Furor earlier this year over the fires, and now this).
When it comes to butting heads with the Orange Fart Cloud, he definitely seems to know what he’s doing.
We can always go back to beating on him later. :)
BarcaChicago
Interesting that TPM site is down. And yes, I’m fully paranoid at this point.
JML
@Trollhattan: I’m sure she’ll express concern. Not that it’ll stop her from voting with the MAGA Express. But Susan Collins will express concern. And find a way to blame both sides. She’s the worst, a feckless coward.
WaterGirl
@Lobo: I hear you and I too am horrified. What the hell did they say he did to warrant being manhandled, cuffed and arrested?
No filming allowed? Fuck that.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@Trollhattan:
EV storks.
WaterGirl
@ArchTeryx:
That’s an excellent question.
Belafon
@comrade scotts agenda of rage: “They shouldn’t have roughed him up like that, but he shouldn’t have been there.”
Mr. Bemused Senior
@BarcaChicago: yeah, I noticed [TPM down] too. Wait and see.
WTFGhost
@Glidwrith: The President would have security, even in the FBI building. It’s not a matter of safety, it’s a matter of what the security detail demands (pursuant to what the protectee will accept).
However, senators don’t tend to have security details, unless there are specific threats made against them. Private security is expensive, and the government will only pick up the tab if there’s a threat, and if (ultimately) Trump approves it, which means a D will only get protection if it serves Trump’s purposes, and he has deliberately cut security details from people he dislikes.
Anyway: yeah, it makes sense that no security would protect the Senator, and non-security wouldn’t have a protocol for interfering with federal law enforcement. They didn’t even have a protocol for continuing to film in the face of opposition by goons who don’t have a right to demand the cessation of recording.
Citizen Dave
I flew out of MSP yesterday and in the TSA line looked up and saw a loop of Noem going on about something. Several monitors on the walls/support beams. Thankfully there was no sound.
There was an anti-ICE rally last night in of all places Indianapolis, adjacent to the Pacers arena, before Game 3 of the NBA Finals (Go Pacers!). About 500 people. No issues reported.
Organized by local chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (according to IndyStar)
Belafon
@WaterGirl: Senators don’t generally have security.
jonas
@George: Schumer’s my senator and Padilla represents most of my family back in CA, so you’d better believe this is a moment for him to step up and give us a little more Gavin Newsom (the righteous anger Gavin we’ve seen recently, at least) and a little less Susan Collins.
No-one in the Trump administration gives a shit what I think, but our Dem Senators and reps do and Schumer will be hearing from me asking him to step up. No business in the Senate should go anyhere until this shit in LA stops and Noem answers for siccing her goons on a sitting US senator.
schrodingers_cat
@Lobo: I hear you and will call my reps.
WaterGirl
@NeenerNeener:
Feel free to forward the email and I can share the info here.
Dorothy A. Winsor
Holy cow. Padilla is chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border safety. Is it possible the Secretary for DHS doesn’t know who he is?
PatD
@Trollhattan: Yes, that’s someone who’s trying to shape the narrative. And it happens to be true.
jonas
If it’s the same one I saw recently, it’s reminding people to get a Real ID driver’s license, which 90% of the country is still clueless about. Just looking at her makes me queesy knowing what a horrible human being she is.
jonas
Entirely. It’s not like she was nominated because she was qualified for the job or knew the first damn thing about national security.
scav
Tom Lehrer always comes through.
Redshift
@NeenerNeener:
Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, Northern Virginia/D.C., and New York, according to ICE “unnamed sources.”
comrade scotts agenda of rage
My guess is that the “moderate” (R) Senators like Suzie Furrowbrows, “Independents” like Murkowski will make the usual verbal admonishments about this to show their empathy and “concern” for the status of a fellow US Senator…then forget it when Hair Furor pushes this off the front page with something else.
That being said, this might be a chance to actually make a dent in some (R) Senator’s bubble if one contacts the office and talks about this as an assault on another branch of the gubmint, threatens Senate independence, yada, yada, yada.
Not that any of them will hold hearings or investigate anything but it’s probably the only angle a (D) constituent of one of them will ever have to get them to actually listen to a concern.
Citizen Dave
@jonas:
That makes sense. Agree about Noem–her visage is extremely odious to me. She spouts total bullshit without any expressions.
Omnes Omnibus
@WTFGhost: Now do decimate.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
yes, she’s was nominated because she was an asshole who killed a dog for the hell of it.
Jackie
@Lobo: I just watched my senator – Patty Murray – lambast FFOTUS directly from the Senate floor while noticeably fighting back tears of anger and shock that this was allowed to happen to Sen. Padilla by DHS Noem’s goons. From what I’ve seen on the news thus far, a fire has already definitely been lit; Democratic Senators are FURIOUS.
I want to hear from republican senators! Do they condone or condemn this happening to a fellow senator?
Your wrath shouldn’t be aimed at Democrats, your wrath needs to be directed to republican senators – especially if they are ok with what happened to Sen. Padilla.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
I wonder how those 70+ House Dems who expressed gratitude to ICE last week feel now that Senator Padilla is being disappeared right on cable news.
Maybe they’ll issue another statement.
Sure, that’s another wrathful sentiment directed toward Dems. That’s cuz I expect shit from the other side so when our side tilts in that direction, they deserve our criticism and scorn.
George
@Dorothy A. Winsor:
It also is as likely that the DHS secretary knows exactly who Padilla is. With the current administration, malice is as likely of an explanation as ineptitude, if not more so.
Trollhattan
@Jackie:
Rand Paul would probably prefer Free Market beatings and not have government taking away this vital service for itself.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@Trollhattan:
In which case he should have applauded what his neighbor did to him.
That’s Free Market Beatings at their finest!
Oh wait, he can’t feel that way because I’m sure it’s “Free Market Beatings For Me but Not For Thee!”
lou
@NeenerNeener: It’s a spoof. A very funny one.
George
@comrade scotts agenda of rage:
Yeah, well, under less strenuous circumstances, you might have a point. But these days, criticism of our allies simply leads to the general public believing that “both sides are the same.” Forget about the 70+ House Democrats and focus on the 215+ House Republicans.
dm
I think Padilla should press charges. The California State Patrol is well equipped to handle assault and battery.
State authorities should start treating DHS and ICE as a criminal racket until they start obeying court orders.
Trollhattan
Liking this Chris Murphy fellow.
https://x.com/BulwarkOnline/status/1933242892882964735
NeenerNeener
@WaterGirl:
Karen S actually had a link to the screen grab I had.
Jackie
@NeenerNeener: Forward your email to one of the Front Pagers. Give them a heads up in the comments so they’ll look for it.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@dm: There are multiple videos of this event. The faces of the little punks shoving Padilla around are visible. I want them scared.
I don’t know what costume Noem considered appropriate for the occasion.
NeenerNeener
@lou:
I’ll let the person who sent it to me know. They thought it was real, because Trump has paid people to attend his rallies before.
Shana
This should get every elected Dem out on Saturday. Sadly it won’t. I think I’ll contact Warner and Kaine to see what they say about this.
WTFGhost
@George: While I agree with the idea of “let’s not start shooting allies” there should be room for “Schumer, I hope like eff this isn’t going to be another strongly worded letter in response!” Frustrations remain, even after the battle is over, and, to be brutal, only the Hispanic Caucus seemed to really get the proper response, that there must be consequences, loudly announced, because you know Trump and Noem are going to performative-horror this to the hilt.
(I’m sorry – my brain won’t come up with a better verb than “performative-horror”.)
Plus, there was the ETA – this was someone coming into a bar, hearing the conversation, saying they hoped poor little shoo-shoo wasn’t going to send another LETTER, and then hearing he actually said something useful, and saying “okay, nm.”
That said: I’m glad there’s some empathy for our side. (Adverb/adjectival form: empathic, just like they taught you in School House Rock for making adverbs from the other parts of language. There’s nothing pathetic about being empathic.) Yeah, Schumer, aka “little shoo-shoo” deserves some ribbing, but he did right here.
Another Scott
@Shana:
Warner’s comment on bsky.
I don’t see anything there from Kaine yet.
Best wishes,
Scott.
Trollhattan
Sorry to report Collins furrow level set merely to Swale.
Martin
ICE is currently in my city. It looks likely that they are going to sweep UC and possibly CSU commencement ceremonies. Spread the word.
Chief Oshkosh
@Citizen Dave: I find those videos almost unnerving. She looks evil AND bug nuts crazy. And it’s all on a loop over and over and over…
Betty Cracker
Maxwell Frost (D-FL) just posted a video clip of he and colleagues on their way to Senator Thune’s office.
Martin
@Dorothy A. Winsor: He’s not chair (Republican Senate), he’s ranking member.
Omnes Omnibus
I just called Ron Johnson’s office and left a message that no Senate business should go forward until the Senate gets answers about this. Baldwin is next.
ETA: Baldwin done.
Betty Cracker
The Puppy Slayer has thoughts about the No Kings rallies:
Source: CNN
Bill Arnold
@NeenerNeener:
Here’s the Snopes work on progress on that. They don’t rate it, yet. (The advert itself is real.)
Breaking down Craigslist ad seeking seat fillers on day of Trump’s DC parade – A Craigslist ad attributed to “T-Mellon Events” made the rounds on social media ahead of a military parade on the president’s birthday. (Snopes, Megan Loe, June 12, 2025)
Josie
Called both of my (Texas) senators, for all the good it will do.Neither one is answering phones. Left a recording.Total cowards.
O. Felix Culpa
@George:
QFT.
Chief Oshkosh
@Martin: ICE really is trying to incite violence. Graduations are events full of emotion, and they are usually wonderful, proud events for families. Fucking with that will sadly probably get the response ICE wants.
geg6
@Jeffro:
Terry Moran is going to Substack. I’ll be interested to see what he says now that he’s free of those cowards at ABC.
Dan B
@Jackie: Patty has caught fire. Hood for her!
Jackie
Fingers crossed! Thunderstorms are FFOTUS’s go-to to cancel events he thinks will be sparsely attended:
WaterGirl
@Belafon: Looks like they need to start having security.
Ksmiami06
@Martin: slash their fucking tires
prostratedragon
@Kelly: The guy who ordered his people to attack Sen. Padilla is from El Centro.
O. Felix Culpa
@Ksmiami06: You go first. Show us how it’s done.
Matt McIrvin
@Betty Cracker: That’s a lot of grandmas to beat up. How many goons have they got? Do they even have enough tactical hoodies and neck gaiters for all of them?
Dan B
@Dan B: Hood = Good
Bill Arnold
@BarcaChicago:
Big cloudflare problems today (from various complaints on work slack). (Might be related.)
https://www.cloudflarestatus.com/
WV Blondie
@WaterGirl: Here’s the link to the actual Craigslist ad: washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/tlg/d/washington-seat-fillers-needed-june/7857143452.html
I’ve been trying to get MSM to cover this all day!
Martin
@WaterGirl: Security won’t get in front of law enforcement unless Congress gets their own US Marshal equivalent that answers only to Congress. And even then, they’re going to answer to Speaker Johnson who isn’t going to allow them to stand in front of executive branch law enforcement.
Martin
@Ksmiami06: People are on it.
Kelly
@Omnes Omnibus: I just did the same with Wyden and Merkley
la caterina
@Lobo: Got it. Will use the list at the link in my calls to my Reps.
Gretchen
TPM is back up.
West of the Rockies
I think this incident becomes a dirty bomb for the fascist regime, metaphorically speaking. The optics are such that even non-political viewers will see it and be appalled. It will blow up in the regime’s smug faces.
HeleninEire
I don’t know Padilla at all so I am pulling this theory out of my ass…but:
I think this went exactly as he wanted. He was looking for good trouble and he used Trump’s tactics; but Trump failed.
Trump sent the National Guard and the Marines into LA to stoke violence by the protesters. Unfortunately for him, the violence it stoked was not from the protesters but from the LAPD and DHS.
Padilla immediately announced his name and clearly said he was a US Senator. He was loud and obnoxious. He was trying to provoke DHS. And it worked. Like a charm.
As I said, I am pulling this theory out of my ass…but I’m relatively confident that I am correct.
Harrison Wesley
@Betty Cracker: A friend texted me earlier that the Pudding Molester has given the okeydoke to drivers who feel ‘threatened’ by protesters to run them over. Fuck that. I’m going to the Sarasota demonstration on Saturday anyway. At least I can splash some art deco on Custis Lee’s monster truck when he mows me down.
Kelly
@prostratedragon: I think I can settle on malicious
Martin
@West of the Rockies: I wouldn’t count on that.
Kelly
@HeleninEire: His well calibrated resistance supports you assessment
NaijaGal
This is my senator. I can’t believe it.
Reactions from Republicans include:
NaijaGal
@Lobo:
I hear you. I will call.
NutmegAgain
I turned on the TV for the dog (no, really) and good to see that MSNBC at least is covering this. Many Dem senators on, saying the obvious, and asking why the fuck don’t any Repubs speak out against this.
Marc
@Martin: I just happened to catch what was clearly a small transport (unmarked 19 seat military Beechcraft) supporting DHS missions on the way out of Oaktown International. Flight data sites show that it started out in DC and has been shuttling all over southern, central, and northern CA for the past few days. The other clue is that they turned off ADS-B as soon as they climbed above 5000 ft. They’re here…
Harrison Wesley
@Karen S.: And those good people will have earned every penny of it.
Craig
In his citadel Vlad sits laughing at what he has wrought.
Bill Arnold
@Trollhattan:
Sheesh. Just once, could she maybe summon up “moat filled with large alligators”?
Harrison Wesley
@Trollhattan: Like fucking magnets, right? If Cali sucks so much, why doesn’t he give it back to Mexico?
Jackie
BettyCracker, did you see this? In anticipation of this Sat’s No Kings protests, DeSantis has given drivers behind the wheel of their car PERMISSION to run over pedestrian protesters.
Kelly
I now think Padilla and Noem each got what they wanted. Noem is to deep in right wing bubble to realize how bad it looks to normal people
prostratedragon
@NeenerNeener:
I mentioned that in an overnight post and called it “alleged,” since it seemed to good to be true. Snopes has checked it out, and it’s a real listing. The question is whether it’s by those named — possibly Timothy Mellon and the LLC that sells that guy’s meme coins — or pranksters. They’ve denied it, but 1) they lie a lot, and 2) there’s a long history of tactical ineptitude there.
oldgold
The assault and battery was beyond awful, but this statement by Noem may have been worse.
“DHS is staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and this mayor have placed on this country and what they have tried to insert into this city.”
SAY WHAT?!?!
Steve LaBonne
@NaijaGal: They lie relentlessly and shamelessly about everything. Right now they’re busy lying about what happened to Sen. Padilla when everyone can see a video of how it actually went down. They know their Faux Nooze watching base will never see the whole video.
Steve LaBonne
@oldgold: I’m so old I remember when Republicans, including the dog murderer, were constantly yelling about states’ rights.
West of the Rockies
@Harrison Wesley:
Stay safe, dude. Loud, but safe.
Gloria DryGarden
@Ksmiami06: you’re inciting people to violence. Fantasize what you want.
But actual violence , were we to commit some, is criminal and also it plays into their lies about us being violent, about all this military being necessary. They want an excuse. Don’t give it to them.
if you plan some heinous thing, don’t tell us, and don’t do it during protests.
Karen S.
@Harrison Wesley: That’s if they actually get paid. At least they’ll get a free fast food meal.
Ksmiami06
@Gloria DryGarden: oh ffs. The only violence is on their side. But I can tell you that our side is not prepared
oldgold
@Steve LaBonne: Noem is in essence claiming the authority to liberate a city and state from its duly elected government.
Omnes Omnibus
@Ksmiami06: I do wonder if you are actually on our side or if you just want to watch stuff burn. All due respect, etc.
Elizabelle
@Betty Cracker: The post is not complete without displaying how the FTF NY Times — the paper of record — first noted this incident.
Reporter was Sonia A. Rao. Talk about access journalism! Kevin Kruse pointed out how the NY Times is already minimizing the incident.
Jeffro
@Belafon: I copied it directly from, of all places, Fox News
Mai Naem mobile
My eyes can’t look away from Noem’s lips. If she had any more botox in her lips she could pull off a being a beef steak tomato for Halloween just with her lips.
Marc
I suspect it really doesn’t matter any more what people do or say, it looks like the show has already started for us. I don’t necessarily think DHS will try anything during the main protest Saturday, but in the evening I expect we’ll see them out there “protecting federal property”. Followed by widespread raids Sunday and Monday.
jackmac
@NeenerNeener: There are unconfirmed reports of an ICE presence in Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson has called on citizens to “rise up” against ICE.
In the meantime, there was an apparent ICE raid today in Rockford, Illinois, some 90 miles northwest of Chicago. Rockford officials said local police were not informed of any ICE or DHS presence.
Local authorities confirmed some kind of activity, but it was not that of the city of Rockford, Winnebago County or Illinois State Police.
“We cannot tell you it was not ICE,” (Rockford mayor Tom) McNamara said. “We are going to continue to find out who was in our community, but as you may be aware … some federal agencies including ICE have not been communicating with local law enforcement.”
Harrison Wesley
@Karen S.: Unlike the California National Guard…..
Ruckus
@blindyone:
I was born in Queen of Angels hospital 76 yrs ago. I worked at and then owned a business in Los Angeles, I got paid by the US government for 3 1/2 years in the USN (Vietnam ended or it would have been 4), I’ve traveled extensively in much of this world and have worked in 49 of the states (never been to Alaska) when I worked in professional sports. I’ve stood on Antartica. (posted this here before..) My point is that this is a big country, with a lot of people that most likely do not agree with most of the people on this blog.
BUT.
This concept that we are all drones (can’t think of a better word) who will follow any concept of this or any other shitforbrains level bullshit is coming to a head. I’ve seen reports that much of the country does not support this almost dictator in the highest office, who is so fucking stupid to call in federal troops and make every damn thing a hell of a lot worse. A senator taken down and arrested when this had not escalated anywhere near a riot is pure bullshit. Now I’m sure he’s going to get support from some in this country as having done the right thing, but that is bullshit as well. It was a peaceful protest till shitforbrains jumped in where he didn’t belong. Yes people were protesting. Peacefully. We supposedly have that right. But not in shitforbrains world.
Elizabelle
@Mai Naem mobile: You are too kind.
I heard an expression years ago, and yes it is misogynistic. But fits Kristi Noem.
“She looks like she could suck the chrome off a Cadillac.”
FastEdD
I DO know Senator Padilla and he is not an attention seeker. If a US Senator, in his home town, is asking questions why his constituents are being assaulted and he is assaulted himself, that in itself is an answer.
AM in NC
@Lobo: oh I will be out this weekend, and I just had 15 minutes before meeting a friend for a walk, so I stood with my sign at a busy intersection.
NutmegAgain
@Elizabelle: I saw that too. At least WAPO has the coverage above the fold. “Sen. Padilla forcibly removed” is better. I mean, think they should have gigantic black headlines, but I’m just an ordinary citizen & anti-fascist.
Betty
@Kelly: She should know him because of the committee he serves on which addresses immigration. She apparently has met with the committee more than once.
Ksmiami06
@Omnes Omnibus: I just do not want to live in a country that tolerates fascism. It has been creeping in for years and here we are
Omnes Omnibus
@Ksmiami06: Right, because the rest of obviously do want that. I thought you were moving to Italy (no fascism there).
Ruckus
@AM in NC:
This is why I closed my twitter/x account. I had an account for a long time, but left when elon bought it. I figured it would become a full dumpster fire fast and it seems I’m not wrong.
Conservatives in this country want to go back in time before most of us old farts were born, and likely before any of them were hatched. They want the world they’ve always wanted – prior to our countries founding and all that constitution stuff has happened, you know like before people with too much melatonin were considered human beings and actual citizens and when you had to be able to purchase your rights, not have them given to you at birth.
Professor Bigfoot
@Ksmiami06: This country was a “police state” for Black people since before the Founding.
You can’t live in a country that tolerates fascism?
What was Jim Crow but “fascism” directed entirely at Black people?
You’re ready to commit violent crimes, knowing that the cops will jump on Black people first.
Yeah, whatever.
Gloria DryGarden
I read on bsky, the security people should have known who he was.
Security ought to have known Padilla
Ruckus
@Another Scott:
Politico queried 50 people, and for 43 of them, the allure of alternate weekend plans was more compelling.
The alternate plan of sitting at home is more compelling.
More compelling than that might be to protest. I’m sure that there will be significant numbers doing just that. Especially here in SoCal. And of course more is always better.
Gloria DryGarden
Every time I eat, I need to stop and thank the people, often immigrants, who grew and harvested the food I’m eating.
Elizabelle
More from ace Vichy Times reporter Sonia A. Rao. My god, she is a moron. It is what she doesn’t say.
We protest what the Trump administration is doing. And the Army would not be doing a Soviet May Day style parade that is all about TRUMP.
Maybe Rao is one of Peter Baker’s proteges.
satby
@Omnes Omnibus: He’s not. He believes and has said (at another blog) that those of us educated liberals need to be “exterminated”.
Mr. Bemused Senior
@Elizabelle: I mentioned before, Bemused Senior fussed at me for years to cancel my FTFNYT subscription, which I finally did back in July, 2024. They continue to provide ample justification.
Professor Bigfoot
@satby: As I’m fond of saying to conservatives online, “yo, it’s clear you’re ready to kill for white supremacy. But are you also ready to die for it? Because some of y’all will not write your mama, trust and believe. And one of them could easily be you.”
Lobo
@AM in NC: As with anything, doing something in your own way helps. Help in big or small, but do something. Thanks.
Jackie
@Elizabelle:
We ALL KNOW damn well if the Army’s birthday wasn’t on June 14, FFOTUS would be holding the parade to “celebrate Flag Day and Betsy Ross.”
Elizabelle
@Mr. Bemused Senior: you and she were wise.
columbusqueen
@Professor Bigfoot: Preach it, brother.
Uncle Cosmo
@…now I try to be amused: A tad o/t, but “storm troopers” kinda got an undeserved bad name after the Great War. In fact the original Sturmabteilungen were small groups of handpicked troops, very lightly armed, whose task was to penetrate the Allied lines as deeply and quickly as possible, bypassing fortified positions for the next wave of soldiers to reduce. Based on the Reichsheer‘s faith in the fighting qualities of their solders, this was the Germans’ answer to the conundrum of how to break through the front (whereas the Entente’s answer was a mechanical fix: the tank). And they were spectacula0rly successful in the German 1918 offensives.
Funny thing though, it was the German soldiery that in the end doomed those offensives to fail: The troops had been on threadbare rations for so long (owing to the British naval blockade that kept foodstuffs from moving) that when they broke into the rear-echelon Allied supply dumps bulging with food and booze, the Krauts did what any self-respecting fighting force would do: THEY PARTIED!!! And in the time it took them to sober up and down the 1918-equivalent of Btono-Seltzer, the Allies managed to cobble together just enough defense (famously including US soldiers and Marines) to halt them short of Paris.
All of which had fuck-all to do with the Nazi brownshirts of the same name, who were nothing much more than street-brawlers and thugs.
(We now return you to your regular pogromming…)
Uncle Cosmo
Since you want to be pedantic, an “order of magnitude” change up or down in a number is a change of +/-1 in the exponential expression. Presuming we’re still using base 10** that means a change by a factor of 10 up or down. 2100% is an increase by a factor of 21.
You’re quite welcome!! ;^p
** And not, say, base 8, which per Dr Tom Lehrer (may his satire be eternally blessed) is just like base 10 – if you’re missing two fingers…
Uncle Cosmo
@Elizabelle: Replace “Cadillac” with “trailer hitch” and we’re back in my childhood…;^D
Uncle Cosmo
@Omnes Omnibus:
R U kidding? “BSMiasma-Oh-Sick” has been BJ’s resident Cosplay Stalinist since before the Boston Massacre, who’d be happy to see a bunch of Jackals murdered in the streets to fuel his imbecile fantasies.
No respect due to that otherpeoplesbloodthirsty moron, Oh-Oh – you oughta know that by now.