CNN analyst defends Kristi Noem, agents for removing Sen. Padilla

CNN national security analyst Josh Campbell defended Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and the actions of federal agents who forcibly removed Sen.Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) from a press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday, saying their response followed standard security protocol.Speaking during an appearance on CNN’s “The Arena” with Kasie Hunt, Campbell, a former FBI special agent, broke down the incident and said the agents were justified in their initial efforts to escort Padilla out of the room after he loudly interrupted Noem.“From a law enforcement perspective, we’re really looking at three separate incidents that happened within a short period of time,” Campbell said.“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,” the CNN analyst told Hunt.

“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.”Campbell added that when Padilla resisted and turned back toward agents, the situation escalated.“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,” Campbell said.“At that point, from a security detail perspective, we’re taking this person out against their will… they realize this is not someone who is going to comply.”However, Campbell did raise concerns about what happened next — when officers forced Padilla to the ground and handcuffed him outside the press room.“There will be big questions raised about those kinds of tactics,” Campbell noted.“Were there other options that were available to the federal agents… What they do is they actually order him to his knees and then quickly shove him...