Rep. Hoyle Statement on the Trump Administration’s Assault of Senator Alex Padilla

June 12, 2025 Rep. Hoyle Statement on the Trump Administration’s Assault of Senator Alex Padilla For Immediate Release: June 12, 2025 WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04) released the following statement after Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif) was assaulted by unidentified federal agents for asking Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a question during her press conference in Los Angeles. In a video of the event, Senator Padilla is clearly heard identifying himself as a sitting U.S. Senator. "This is about an executive branch which knows no boundaries and will act with more and more impunity. Anyone who sits quietly by while watching this happen is accepting the actions of an authoritarian regime. Alex Padilla is a U.S. Senator and the job of the Senate, as directed by our Constitution, is to exercise oversight and serve as a check and balance to the other two branches. This was designed by the founders as a means to prevent tyranny. Democrats in Congress will continue to uphold our oath the Constitution and the American people, we will not be bullied into silence.” ### Print Email Share Tweet