Padilla was right to challenge Noem's right-wing lunacy

Sen. Alex Padilla had heard all he could stand from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. For good reason. She was sounding like a military dictator and brushing off California voters. So the California senator interrupted her. He tried to ask a question — and wound up being shoved out of the room by federal bodyguards, strong-armed to the floor and handcuffed.

- George Skelton, Tribune News Service

This is how the Trump administration intends to “Make America Great Again”? The unprecedented act of disrespecting and roughing up a US senator occurred at the Westwood federal building during a Noem news conference Thursday. Padilla, a Democrat, was standing behind reporters when the secretary said federal agents would continue to conduct immigration raids in Los Angeles indefinitely.

“(We'll) continue to sustain and increase our operations in this city,” Noem said. “We are not going away,” she emphasized. “We are staying here to liberate the city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and this mayor have placed on this country.” Definitely fighting words.