Letters to the Editor: We cannot allow a U.S. senator to be handcuffed for asking questions

To the editor: When is enough enough? I am in tears as a senator from my state is manhandled to the ground for asking questions (“California Sen. Alex Padilla forcibly removed, handcuffed during Kristi Noem press conference,” June 12). How could Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s “security” assault our senator for exercising his constitutional rights? Whether Sen. Alex Padilla was a government representative or not, this is all a part of our rights as citizens, as granted by the 1st Amendment.

On top of all the affronts by President Trump’s disregard of our laws, this is over the edge to dictatorship. All senators and representatives must stand up to this outrageous disregard of our laws. The Posse Comitatus Act is not a suggestion, nor is the Constitution. It is well past time for Republicans to stand up for our country. Do they really care to go down in history as seditious cowards?

I am a 78-year-old Los Angeles native and have never been so angry at the behavior of government officials in my life. I’ve seen President Nixon lie and the Iran-Contra mess under President Reagan, in addition to many other incidents where officials broke the law. This is much worse. Our rights are on the line. If my mobility were not impaired, I would be protesting with my fellow Angelenos. Stand up for us!

Leslie Forester Tillmann, Palm Desert

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To the editor: Noem can shoot defenseless animals, but is unable to answer questions from a United States senator. Is she really capable of ensuring our nation’s domestic security? It doesn’t look like it.

Mary Griswold Gordon, Rancho Palos Verdes