Rand Paul: Padilla Should Not Have Rushed the Stage at Noem’s Press Conference

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” said Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) should not have rushed the stage at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference.

Host Kristen Welker said, “Let me get your reaction to Senator Alex Padilla, who interrupted a press conference that was being held by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. He was handcuffed and wrestled to the ground. The House Speaker said he should be censured? Do you agree? Should he be censured for that?”

Paul said, “I didn’t like the images of him on the ground being handcuffed, but I didn’t like moms at school board meetings being handcuffed. I don’t like the images of peaceful January 6 protesters, people who assemble there being taken to the ground in airports and being handcuffed. That I don’t like, at the same time, the other side to it is, can you rush a stage? Can you rush into a press conference? I think they honestly didn’t recognize him. He rushed the stage. It was sort of a physical tussle. I think it could have ended without the handcuffs, but also, I don’t think there’s a complete get out of jail free, you know, there’s no repercussions for rushing the stage and no criticism for rushing the stage. I think it’s a complicated story, and I’m not about to say it’s all on one side or the other.”

Welker said, “So you’re a no on censuring him, Senator?”

Paul said, “No, no, no. I’m not for censuring. I think that’s crazy. I’m not for that at all.”

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