Chaos Erupts in House Committee Hearing Over Assault on Sen. Alex Padilla

WASHINGTON – A House committee hearing descended into chaos on Thursday as Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) urged lawmakers to subpoena Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following her security team’s assault on Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) at a press briefing.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing was in progress when news broke of Padilla being forcibly removed from Noem’s press event and dragged to the ground. Frost repeatedly raised the incident, calling for Noem to be subpoenaed over the altercation, prompting backlash from Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) and other Republicans.

“Reclaiming my time!” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) repeatedly interjected.

Comer, the committee chair, attempted to proceed with questions for the panel of governors testifying about sanctuary states for undocumented immigrants. However, Frost persisted, detailing the California senator being handcuffed and thrown to the ground, and demanding a subpoena. This led Comer to snap, “Shut up! Just shut up!”

“No, you’re not going to tell me to shut up,” Frost responded.

Comer accused Frost of seeking media attention by interrupting the hearing and tried to refocus on the witnesses. Greene, known for attracting media attention, then seized the opportunity.

“Democrats can’t follow the rules! Can’t follow the law!” she yelled, referencing her previous vote to overturn the 2020 election results, spreading President Donald Trump’s false claims of widespread voter fraud that led to the Capitol insurrection.

Greene further claimed, “He’s a former Antifa member!” referring to Frost. When Frost requested Comer strike her inaccurate comments from the record, Comer declined. Greene later said she would revise her remarks to note Frost’s 2021 arrest at a voter’s rights march, which Frost described as an act of nonviolent resistance.

Tensions were high across Capitol Hill following Padilla’s assault. Senators from both parties condemned his treatment, describing it as “sickening” and “reeking of totalitarianism.”

“It is shocking at every level,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).