Dem senator’s Padilla-John Lewis comparability sparks quick outrage

[ad_1] NEW Now you can hearken to Fox Information articles!

Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse confronted quick blowback on Thursday in response to a social media publish the place he in contrast his Democratic colleague's outburst at a press convention to the work of Civil Rights pioneer and late Congressman John Lewis.

Shortly after Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was forcibly removed and handcuffed throughout a press convention held by Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles amid anti-ICE rioting, Sen. Whitehouse posted a photograph of the incident alongside a historic picture of Lewis being confronted by law enforcement officials after being attacked by a mob at a South Carolina bus station.

Lewis was arrested over 40 instances in the course of the Civil Rights Motion and was a serious determine throughout many distinguished moments of the period, together with the Freedom Rides, talking on the March on Washington and collaborating within the Selma to Montgomery marches in Alabama.

GOP Congressman Burgess Owens, who was raised within the Jim Crow South, was one among many who took situation with the comparability.

SENATE SHAKEN: BIPARTISAN WORRY ERUPTS AFTER INCIDENT INVOLVING CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT

Dem. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse in contrast Dem. Sen. Alex Padilla to Civil Rights icon John Lewis on Thursday (Getty;AP )

"Speak about an inexpensive, woke insult," Owens advised Fox Information Digital. "As somebody who grew up beneath segregation within the Deep South, I can inform you: evaluating this political stunt to the braveness of the Civil Rights Motion is offensive, fallacious, and shameful."

The publish was additionally criticized by conservatives on social media .

"Sit this one out," White Home Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields posted on X.

"Are you insane," Fox Information host Lawrence Jones posted on X.

DEMS WALK BACK PRO-COP, LAW AND ORDER RHETORIC FROM J6 ERA IN THE FACE OF SPIRALING IMMIGRATION RIOTS

U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, Democrat from California, is faraway from the room after interrupting a information convention with Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem on the Wilshire Federal Constructing in Los Angeles on June 12, 2025. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)

"That jogs my memory — how is your whites-only seaside membership doing?" Federalist Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway posted on X , referencing Whitehouse’s membership in an unique Rhode Island crusing membership that has been criticized for reportedly solely permitting White members.

"Neither could be allowed at Sheldon’s all white seaside membership," Republican communicator Matt Whitlock posted on X .

Whitehouse has denied that the membership has "exclusionary guidelines for membership" however acknowledged it "does lack variety" and apologized for "failing to handle the crusing membership’s lack of variety."

Fox Information Digital reached out to Whitehouse’s workplace for remark.

Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., advised Fox Information in an announcement that "the comparability alone by Senator Whitehouse is disrespectful, but in addition fairly wealthy coming from the man with a membership to an unique, all-white nation membership."

"It seems the morally bankrupt Democrat Social gathering is prepared to go to excessive lengths to justify Senator Padilla’s pathetic political stunt, together with evaluating his inappropriate outburst to John Lewis’ heroic combat for civil rights," he mentioned.

Padilla, the primary Latino elected to the Senate from California, sparked a media firestorm Thursday over the press convention incident the place his workplace says he was making an attempt to ask Noem a query earlier than he was "forcibly eliminated by federal brokers, pressured to the bottom and handcuffed."

The video of officers eradicating after which bringing Padilla to the bottom rapidly unfold amongst lawmakers on Capitol Hill, with some senators watching the spectacle unfold on the Senate ground.

Democratic lawmakers universally condemned the extent of pressure used to take away Padilla, and staged a march to the workplaces of each Home Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Chief John Thune, R-S.D, in protest.

Some demanded that Noem resign from her publish.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Al Drago/Bloomberg by way of Getty Pictures)

"Kristi Noem ought to by no means have been appointed to that workplace," fellow California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff mentioned. "She ought to resign from that workplace. There should be an investigation of the conduct of these officers."

The response on the other facet of the aisle was largely on the identical web page, with Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., accusing Padilla of creating "a spectacle of himself," and questioning why he didn't present up for Senate votes.

Others needed to know if a criminal offense had been dedicated, like Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, who was presiding over the Senate ground when the video started making the rounds.

"The truth is, the Democrats are those that wish to say no one's above the legislation," he advised Fox Information Digital. "Now it is a little bit ironic, provided that they cheered because the FBI raided the home of a former president with nearly fully no justification in any respect."