CNN Security Analyst Defends Kristi Noem and Agents Who Shoved Senator Out of Presser
A CNN analyst who once served as an FBI special agent defended some of the tactics used by Secret Service and FBI personnel in their clash with Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) Thursday.
Appearing on CNN’s The Arena, security correspondent Josh Campbell said that agents acted appropriately in escorting the senator out of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s press conference after he interrupted.
“From a law enforcement perspective, we’re really looking at three separate incidents that happened within a short period of time,” Campbell explained. “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.
“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.”
Campbell, though, did express some concern about the agents forcing Senator Padilla to the floor and handcuffing him after he had already been ejected from the press conference.
“There will be big questions raised about those kinds of tactics,” Campbell said. “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.”
The CNN analyst went on to fully defend Kristi Noem — who denounced Padilla in a Fox News interview after the incident.
“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.”
Watch above, via CNN.
