A CNN analyst defended the actions and tactics the federal agents took to apprehend Sen. Alex Padilla.
While on “The Arena,” Josh Campbell – CNN’s security correspondent who also served as an FBI agent – sided with the agents who forced the California senator from a press conference held by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
“From a law enforcement perspective, we’re really looking at three separate incidents that happened within a short period of time,” Campbell said. “First, you have the DHS secretary who was addressing the press. This was not a Q&A period, and she was interrupted. She was interrupted by someone who was speaking very loudly. And so her security detail confronts what we obviously now know to be the senator. And at that point, he is now going to be escorted out. You can’t interrupt something like that that’s already in progress without having those consequences.”
He continued: “The second incident, in my view, happens the moment — as officers are trying to lead him out — he then turns and walks back towards … kind of into those agents. At that point, from a security detail perspective, we’re taking this person out against their will. We’ve asked the person — and again, this is all happening very quickly — but the moment he then turns into them, they realize this is not someone who is going to comply.”
Despite siding with the agents in how they initially handled Padilla and the situation, Campbell admitted there would be questions raised over the necessity to bring the senator to the ground and put him in handcuffs.
“There will be big questions raised about those kinds of tactics,” Campbell added. “Were there other options that were available to the federal agents as well — as the FBI police officer there — who is responsible for security in that FBI building? What they do is they actually order him to his knees and then quickly shove him down to the ground where he is then handcuffed? So again, you’re in a federal building, people are screened for weapons — him having a gun or some type of device like that would not be a concern for those officers. So there will be a big question about the tactics that were used by the officers as they put handcuffs on him.”
Padilla was forcibly removed from Noem’s press conference about the ongoing ICE immigration raids in L.A. and the protests surrounding them. The California senator said he wanted to ask questions about plans that were in place after Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to quell the protesting.
Campbell finished by stating none of the blame for the situation should fall on Noem.
“This was neither the fault nor the responsibility of DHS Secretary Noem,” Campbell said. “She’s in the middle of a press conference. There’s someone who interrupts and then makes it clear by his movements that he is not going to comply. He’s taken out. Again, I don’t think any of that was her responsibility.”
You can watch the full CNN segment in the video above.
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