Two New York lawmakers — one Republican, one Democrat — had at it out on the House floor on Thursday after California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla’s news-conference stunt, and you won’t believe who started it.
Or perhaps you will. Probably, in fact. Or almost certainly.
According to Axios, shortly after Democratic Rep. John Mannion had an outburst during a media briefing on the Capitol steps Thursday, he confronted GOP Rep. Mike Lawler on the floor — an attack condemned by Lawler as “entirely unhinged and unprofessional.”
The incident came after Padilla was tackled while trying to interrupt a news conference by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in regards to the situation in Los Angeles.
“We were conducting a press conference to update everyone on the enforcement actions that are ongoing to bring peace to the city of Los Angeles,” Noem said afterwards.
“This man burst into the room, started lunging toward the podium, interrupting me, and elevating his voice, and was stopped.”
Senator Padilla’s office sends me this video of his take-down and detention at Sec. Noem’s press conference in L.A. pic.twitter.com/RLUVYP1Jsb
— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) June 12, 2025
Because there’s nothing like trying to pretend you’re putting an end to disorder by attempting to interrupt the administration’s media briefing with a “don’t-you-know-who-I-am?” entrance and subsequent takedown.
Mannion would first yell at the media, which he apparently believes needs goading to be on the Democratic side: “We need you,” he said during the news conference on the Capitol steps. “We need you to hold them accountable. Media, it’s your country, too.”
“Don’t cover the distractions. Cover the actions that lead us towards authoritarianism, please.”
And there’s nothing like what happened next, during a House vote, to make you think this is a man fighting authoritarianism.
From Axios:
As Lawler was speaking to Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) on the Democratic side of the floor, Mannion began shouting at his fellow New Yorker, multiple sources who saw the interaction told Axios.
“Mannion stands up and just starts yelling at him for absolutely no reason but emotion about the atmosphere that we’re in right now,” said one House Democrat who was standing close by.
The lawmaker said Mannion told Lawler “something to the effect of, ‘You’ve got to do something. Stand up. Grow a pair of balls.'”
Lawler’s response, they said: “F*** you … I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
A video of the floor during the vote — which doesn’t necessarily identify who’s saying what, although it’s pretty clear from the report what happened — seems to back up this version of events.
WARNING: The following video contains vulgar language that some readers may find offensive.
BREAKING: @JohnMannionNY22 launches into a profane tirade apparently towards @RepMikeLawler on the House floor moments ago. @WKTV
“F*CKING get over there and get some F*CKING balls!” Mannion can be heard shouting on this @cspan footage. ???? pic.twitter.com/lJ1TmMq8Au
— Luke Radel (@lukeradel) June 12, 2025
On X, Lawler also acknowledged the showdown, saying the rampaging Mannion was to blame.
“John Mannion was entirely unhinged and unprofessional,” he wrote.
“That was a shameful display that exposed his complete lack of temperament. No wonder numerous staffers have previously alleged a toxic work environment. He should go seek help for anger management — and f*** off.”
John Mannion was entirely unhinged and unprofessional. That was a shameful display that exposed his complete lack of temperament. No wonder numerous staffers have previously alleged a toxic work environment. He should go seek help for anger management — and fuck off. https://t.co/QdRXTEixH8
— Mike Lawler (@lawler4ny) June 12, 2025
As for the “anger management” issue, this was a real problem before Thursday’s outburst, as WKTV in Utica reported before he even got elected.
ONE-ON-ONE: I pressed @MannionforNY on specific claims made by 3 anonymous former staffers. They say he created a “hostile work environment.” #NY22
“This is clearly a coordinated effort to use smear tactics just a few days before election to hurt me and my family.” pic.twitter.com/dogx3eAHgD
— Luke Radel (@lukeradel) June 19, 2024
So you know who the Democrats blamed, of course, per Axios: “rising partisan tensions over the Trump administration’s use of legal and physical force against Democrats.”
“The temperature is rising in here. There’s a lot of unnecessary comments being thrown around, insinuations,” Democratic Rep. Julie Johnson of Texas said.
“What we’re seeing with the actions of this administration is out of control, and Republicans aren’t doing anything to rein it in. Tempers are flaring.”
Yes: The one thing that Democrats can agree on is that Democrats are allowed to do whatever they want, and it’s the administration’s fault if things get out of hand. It’s rather sad that’s only the second-least surprising thing about this story, right after the party affiliation of the representative that started this House-floor verbal melee.
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