Sen. Alex Padilla’s (D-CA) takedown by federal law enforcement on Thursday is the focus of the latest fundraising pitches from Democrats, including the national party, lawmakers, and left-leaning political action committees.
The California Democrat stands to benefit directly, with appeals from the Democratic National Committee and a fundraising committee tied to former Vice President Kamala Harris asking for donations that are to be split between the DNC and Padilla.
Just hours after the caught-on-camera episode, which occurred Thursday when Padilla crashed a Los Angeles press conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, donors and supporters began getting hit with solicitations for campaign money.
The requests have come from the DNC, the Harris Victory Fund, lawmakers including Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), and groups such as the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Defend Our Courts, and Resist Reclaim Rebuild.
“While Alex and I continue to demand accountability from this administration and fight for Californians, please pitch in to our campaigns to help us keep up this incredibly important work,” Schiff’s fundraising email reads.
A DNC email reads, “Democrats like Alex Padilla are standing up and speaking out. We can — and will — elect more Democrats who will check Trump’s power. But it’s only possible with your help.”
The suggested contribution amount was $10, to be split evenly between the DNC and Padilla.
The lawmakers, PACs, and the DNC did not respond to requests for comment.
The fundraising efforts play into the narrative from congressional Republicans that the disruptive encounter was the sort of made-for-TV moment Padilla was seeking. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) implied Padilla was gunning for a viral sensation, telling reporters that he “got what he wanted. He’s on video.”
Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris (R-MD) said Padilla showed up to score political points and should expect pushback for disruptions. “Those are the consequences of trying to turn a serious discussion into a political stunt,” Harris said.
Lawmakers and candidates in both parties frequently use dramatics to boost fundraising, regardless of whether it was the original intended goal.
Padilla interrupted Noem speaking and approached the front of her press conference about the Trump administration’s mass deportations and immigration raids, which have sparked recent violent LA protests. As federal agents began to forcibly remove him from the area, Padilla identified himself and said he wanted to pose questions to the Trump Cabinet secretary whose agency oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“I’m Sen. Alex Padilla,” he said. “I have questions for the secretary.”
The ensuing moments devolved into federal agents shoving the senator out of the room to boot him from the presser, eventually forcing him to the ground and handcuffing him. Padilla was not charged and was released shortly after.
DHS officials said Padilla chose “disrespectful political theatre” and claimed he interrupted the press conference “without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem.” Officials said he “did not comply with officers’ repeated commands” to back away and that Secret Service “thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a centrist, was an outlier among GOP colleagues who mostly criticized Padilla.
“To see how he was handled out of that room is wrong,” Murkowski said. “It’s sick.”
Others were not so sympathetic. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said Padilla should be censured by lawmakers, and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) suggested a more interesting clip would be to watch famed golfer Rory McIlroy at this week’s U.S. Open.
ALEX PADILLA FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM NOEM PRESS CONFERENCE IN CALIFORNIA
Stunned and infuriated Democrats rallied to Padilla’s defense. An irate Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) teed off on the incident as “absolutely terrifying.”
“If Republicans in the Senate don’t condemn this loudly, we are losing our democracy,” Murphy told the Washington Examiner. “I mean, this is the end. We’re watching the end of democracy. And you guys have a job to do. Everybody has a job to do right now.”
