OPINION:
Sen. Alex Padilla’s recent performance at a press conference of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem deserves further discussion.
There’s been much talk about Mr. Padilla’s removal from the event. When the senator is at a Senate hearing, he can interrupt witnesses and control the rhetoric, hence the debate. A press conference is not a legislative hearing. At one, a senator is a citizen and has the obligation to behave civilly.
Were Mr. Padilla to hold a press conference, civil behavior — not shouting — would be the standard. The fact is that Mrs. Noem had a Q&A session and she spoke to Mr. Padilla afterward about his concerns.
As far as the handcuffing goes, Mr. Padilla could have avoided that, and he knows it.
To add to this, Mr. Padilla took no questions after the incident. The senator was putting on a political performance, not trying to conduct a genuine inquiry. He could have waited until the secretary finished her statements and posed his questions during the Q&A.
As Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said, “[T]he only title in our democracy superior to that of President [is] the title of citizen.” Sen. Padilla should take that to heart.
MIKE MCADOO
San Francisco, California
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