We've all seen public officials making the bad mistake of telling law enforcement officers who have stopped them: "Do you know who I am?"

Democrat Senator Alex Padilla of California gave a variation on that line when interviewed by Dana Bash on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday.

Earlier this week, Padilla had staged a transparent publicity stunt when he interrupted a press conference being given by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and struggled with her security detail as he was being ushered out.

When Bash quoted a DHS spokesman saying that Padilla had tried to create a "viral moment," he claimed, "Nothing could be further from the truth." Riight.

Padilla's defense was that someone with such a lofty "title" as his should have been recognized by Noem:

"What does it say about the secretary to not know who the senator from California is, the ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration? How does the cabinet secretary not know the senator from California when she steps foot into Los Angeles?"

Right! In L.A., you might not recognize a nobody like Clint Eastwood, but you couldn't fail to spot some guy appointed to fill Kamala's spot when she became VP. He won the seat in 2022, but since it was not a competitive race (he won with 61 percent), it didn't draw national publicity.

Padilla condemned the Trump administration for subjecting people who were "law-abiding"--other than their illegal entry into the US thingy--to "terror." Does Padilla want the 10-20 million illegal aliens in the US to be allowed to remain--and before long, vote?

Padilla blasted Noem for not knowing how to "de-escalate" a situation.

Pro De-escalation Tip For Padilla

When being detained by law enforcement, don't continue to struggle. Comply, submit, and subsequently have your say. But Publicity Stunt Padilla wasn't about to do that, knowing the cameras were rolling, producing some good footage for his base.

Note: Padilla also claimed that Noem and her security detail should have noticed that while in the federal building, he had been "escorted by an FBI agent and a National Guard member."

So impressive that you were "escorted," Senator! Then again, how were Noem and her security detail to know that rather than being a lofty member of the Senate, you weren't being escorted because you were a defendant or a suspect? 

Here's the transcript.

CNN
State of the Union
6/15/25
9:28 am EDT

DANA BASH: As Democrats take to the streets in protest, party leaders are urging them to be peaceful. That includes my next guest, who was handcuffed by law enforcement this week after interrupting a press conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Here with me now is Senator Alex Padilla of California. 

. . . 

ALEX PADILLA: And when I heard the secretary, not for the first time in that press conference, talk about the needing to liberate the people of Los Angeles from their duly elected mayor and governor, it was at that moment that I chose to try to ask a question. 

You know, if all the Trump administration was doing was truly focusing on dangerous, violent criminals, as they suggest, there would be no debate. There would be no disagreement. But we've seen story after story after story of hardworking women and men, maybe undocumented, but otherwise law-abiding, good people being subject to the terror that this immigration enforcement operations is subjecting the people to. I needed to speak up. I needed to try to get the information from the secretary. 

. . . 

BASH: I'm sure you've seen the DHS spokeswoman, Tricia McLaughlin, posted that you, quote, tried to manufacture a viral moment. 

PADILLA: Nothing could be further from the truth. 

. . . 

BASH: Our CNN security correspondent, Josh Campbell, who was an FBI agent, he said just from a law enforcement perspective, Secretary Noem's security acted appropriately at the beginning, not when you were in the hallway being handcuffed, but at the beginning, trying to keep you away or get you out of the room because you interrupted her press conference. What do you think of that? 

PADILLA: If that's how they treat a senator trying to ask a question, here's one of my big takeaways. Then imagine not what they can do, what they are doing to so many people without titles.

BASH: But they might not have known. I know you said pretty early, I'm a senator, but --

PADILLA: I was escorted into that room by a National Guardsman and an FBI agent. Look, the whole Los Angeles press corps, this is Los Angeles, this is my hometown. They know who I was. 

And what does it say about the secretary to not know who the senator from California is, the ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration? 

BASH: You were escorted into the room by law enforcement?

PADILLA: Absolutely. I was escorted during my entire time in that building. From showing up in the building, going through security screening, escorted by an FBI agent, a National Guards member, to the conference room where I was awaiting a briefing. They're the ones I requested. Well, if we're waiting, can we go listen in at the press conference? They escorted me over to the press conference. They opened the door for me, and they stood next to me while I was listening for the entire time. And then, of course, once I was forcibly removed and handcuffed. 

BASH: Several of your fellow Democrats say that Secretary Noem should resign. Is that where you are? 

PADILLA: That's maybe not my focus right now, but I do think there's some serious questions. How does the cabinet secretary not know the senator from California when she steps foot into Los Angeles? She came through the Senate for confirmation at one point. 

And certainly, how does the Secretary of Homeland Security not know how to de-escalate a situation?