Clay Jones

Handcuffing Padilla by Clay Jones

This is a bunch of bullshit Read on Substack

Right before Senator Alex Padilla of California was frog-marched out of the room and handcuffed, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said she was going to “liberate” Los Angeles “from the socialists and the burdensome leadership this governor and mayor have placed on this country and this city.”

What happened to the National Guard and the Marines being deployed to Los Angeles to stop non-existent riots? Now it’s “liberate” the city from socialist and “burdensome” leadership? Does that mean Noem plans to overthrow Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom with the military?

On one hand, the regime is trying to portray what’s going on in LA as a rebellion or insurrection, and on the other hand, they’re talking about staging their own rebellion and insurrection.

Noem, the lying pig she is (I want to use another word that many wouldn’t like), claims Senator Padilla “lunged” toward the stage, and after hearing her plans to “liberate” Los Angeles, who could blame him? Except he didn’t “lunge” toward her.

If you’re in the right in a situation, then why are you lying? Kristi Noem is lying about what happened yesterday with Senator Alex Padilla.

Was Padilla “lunging” here? You don’t see it. You don’t see it from this angle, either. But you do hear him identify himself. So when Noem and other Republicans say he didn’t, you know they’re lying. If they’re lying to cover their actions, then you know they’re wrong. They know they’re wrong.

Noem also claims the senator “barged” into the building. That’s a lie. He was escorted into the building and into the room where Noem was having her press conference. He was escorted into the room by an FBI agent and a member of the California National Guard. It was a federal building, which means nobody is getting in there without going through security first. There’s no way she could think Padilla was an angry “illegal” there to steal her purse.

Padilla, who has a reputation in Washington of being extremely nice and kinda nerdy, was no threat to Noem in this federal building. She didn’t seem concerned at all about a guy “lunging” toward her, as she barely paused her yammering while he was being dragged away by her goons.

Noem and her security detail claim they didn’t recognize Padilla, but I call bullshit on this one. It seems before going to California, Noem would familiarize herself with some of the players, like the mayor of Los Angeles, the governor of California, House reps of the area, and the state’s two senators. I’m sure she would have recognized Adam Schiff and Gavin Newsom, so why didn’t she recognize Senior Senator Alex Padilla? Why didn’t her security? If nothing else, he was identifying himself and wearing a shirt with the Senate logo.

She’s also the director of Homeland Security, which deals with immigration. So, shouldn’t be somewhat familiar with the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety.

The only somewhat acceptable reason that Kristi Noem didn’t recognize Senator Alex Padilla is that she’s fucking stupid. I can believe that she’s a moron, but I don’t buy that she nor her security could recognize United States Senator Alex Padilla. Plus, you can’t trust the word of anyone who would shoot a puppy.

And because Republicans are vile evil scum, Speaker Mike Johnson, even without looking this, wants to censure Padilla for his actions. What actions? Being brown? Being a child of Mexican immigrants? This is like the cop who pulls people over for being Black.

Padilla’s crime here is that he cares about the people ICE is going after, that he does his job, he’s a Democrat, and he’s non-White. I would love to see that in the empty censure Johnson is dreaming up.

Padilla’s biggest crime might be that he dared to question Kristi Noem.

The goons are using the military to shut down protests. They don’t want to be questioned. For the love of god, they literally handcuffed a United States Senator for challenging them.

Noem admitted it. The military is in Los Angeles to replace its elected leadership.

Republicans want to punish Padilla, but for what? Interrupting? After saying she was there to use the military to replace elected leadership, she should be interrupted. She needs to be questioned after proposing replacing California’s leadership with a military junta.

Every American needs to question Noem about this. Every Republican should question her. And for the love of god, every journalist needs to question, so long as the LAPD doesn’t shoot them in the process.

Alex Padilla stood up and questioned her, just like he should have. Alex Padilla didn’t just do his job, but did his duty as a patriotic American, which is more than can be said for every Republican who has folded to Donald Trump.

Every single one of us needs to be more like Alex Padilla. Today, Alex Padilla is my hero.

What would Alex Padilla do? He would do the right thing, and he did. (snip-MORE)

Thurgood Marshall Nominated for SCOTUS, & More, in Peace & Justice History for 6/13

https://www.peacebuttons.info/E-News/peacehistoryjune.htm#june13

KS Troopers On Standby While A Democracy Demonstrates Democracy

(what? Also KS’s gubernatorial race already sucks. On ice.)

This is what democracy looks like in Kansas: The courage to protest

Kansas troopers on standby for protests, ahead of nationwide anti-Trump demonstrations

Kansas Reflector
Jun 11, 2025 Updated Jun 11, 2025

TOPEKA — State troopers are on standby in Kansas as demonstrations against federal immigration raids crop up around the country following an increased military presence in response to protests in Los Angeles.

The Kansas Highway Patrol is aware of Kansas City-area protests this week, said April McCollum, a spokeswoman for the agency.

Also read: ‘No Kings Day’ protests sweep U.S. as Wichita joins national pushback against Trump administration

Protests in LA began Friday, mostly in downtown and central parts of the city, in opposition to targeted, sweeping raids from federal immigration officials that result in the arrest and detention of immigrants lacking permanent legal status. The demonstrations escalated once President Donald Trump ordered thousands of members of the California National Guard to the city’s streets, against the wishes of state leaders. Protesters in dozens of other cities joined their LA counterparts Tuesday.

Col. Erik Smith, superintendent of the state highway patrol, told legislators Tuesday that a protest similar to those in LA was planned in the Johnson County area, but the agency did not disclose specifics when asked. The only report of a protest in the area Tuesday occurred in Kansas City, Missouri’s downtown and Westside, drawing hundreds of attendees, according to reporting from The Kansas City Star.

A slate of more than 1,800 protests are scheduled across the nation for Saturday. More than a dozen of them are set to occur in Kansas cities, from Garden City to Hiawatha to Arkansas City to the Kansas City area.

“We encourage those involved to maintain civility while exercising their First Amendment rights,” McCollum said. (snip-MORE that diverts into interesting conversation about immigration sweeps and our gubernatorial race later on.)

A Reblog From Nan Mykel

It’s a good, engaging read, with motivating info.

UF Students Meet MLK

Oppose Authoritarianism-

California senator removed from room after interrupting news conference by Kristi Noem

Democratic U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla on Thursday was forcefully removed from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s news conference in Los Angeles and handcuffed by officers as he tried to speak up about immigration raids that have led to protests in California and around the country.

Video shows a Secret Service agent on Noem’s security detail grabbing Padilla, who represents California, by his jacket and shoving him from the room as he tried to interrupt Noem’s news conference in Los Angeles.

“I’m Sen. Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,” he shouted in a halting voice.

The stunning scene of a U.S. senator being aggressively removed from a Cabinet secretary’s news conference prompted immediate outrage from his Democratic colleagues in the chamber. It comes as the Trump administration has aggressively targeted protesters in California who are demonstrating against immigration raids, including by sending in National Guard troops and Marines. (snip-MORE)

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Missouri Gov. Kehoe activates National Guard ahead of planned protests across the state

KANSAS CITY, MO —

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has activated the Missouri National Guard in anticipation of protests planned across the state.

Kehoe signed an executive order on Thursday, declaring a state of emergency and authorizing the Guard to support local law enforcement if necessary.

“We respect, and will defend, the right to peacefully protest, but we will not tolerate violence or lawlessness in our state,” Governor Kehoe said. “While other states may wait for chaos to ensue, the State of Missouri is taking a proactive approach in the event that assistance is needed to support local law enforcement in protecting our citizens and communities.”

The executive order comes two days following hundreds of Kansas Citians marching downtown in protest of ICE. There were protests in St. Louis as well.

This weekend, a large crowd is expected at Mill Creek Park on the Country Club Plaza.

They will take part in the “No Kings” rally, set the same day as a Flag Day military parade that is also President Donald Trump’s birthday.

Kansas City mayor responds on National Guard’s activation

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas’ office said the mayor is “concerned with enhanced enforcement for one set of protestors,” referencing the Patriot Front’s march on Memorial Day Weekend.

His office’s statement in full:

“Mayor Lucas is concerned with enhanced state enforcement for one set of protestors, but no action or aid to local law enforcement when Neo-Nazis march through Missouri’s urban streets. The Mayor has confidence in responsible protestors to use their First Amendment rights peacefully and in compliance with the law. More than one thousand Kansas Citians protested peacefully and responsibly just days ago. For those who do not act responsibly, the Mayor stands by the women and men of local law enforcement at KCPD and other agencies to handle any necessary enforcement actions. Unnecessary escalation from our nation’s capital and state capitals undermines local law enforcement and makes all less safe.”

House Minority Leader Ashley Aune said it was a “preemptive” declaration of emergency.

Her statement:

“Governor Kehoe’s preemptive declaration of a state of emergency as Missourians prepare to protest an increasingly authoritarian presidential administration is a blatant attempt to intimidate and suppress First Amendment rights. The protests planned this weekend across Missouri and throughout the nation were sparked by the president’s unwarranted and heavy-handed military response to opposition to his policies. By doing the same, the governor will only heighten tensions and increase the possibility of conflict. Governor Kehoe should staunchly defend the rights of Missourians, not mimic the authoritarianism of the president.” (snip-MORE)

Open Windows, Clay Jones

Journalists In Crosshairs by Clay Jones

Read on Substack

Press freedom is an issue close to my heart.

Here in America, Journalists have never had to worry so much for their physical safety. That’s one reason why political cartoonist, Cameron Cardow, pissed me off so much when he started working as “Rivers,” an anonymous cartoonist pretending his life was in danger for supporting Donald Trump with lies and conspiracy theories while being a Canadian pretending to be an American.

If anything, Cam working anonymously, with the aid of syndicate boss Daryl Cagle, was threatening journalism by telling editors that it wouldn’t violate their ethics policies because political cartoonists are not journalists. Rivers has since quit, but Cagle is still doing his best to undermine political cartoonists as journalists.

Just in case they’re reading this, Daryl, you’re a huge disappointment who fails to exercise responsibility or even quality control when distributing misinformation powered by racism. Next time we meet, we’re gonna have a talk.
Cam, you’re just a lying piece of shit, but I’m thankful for your career change and hope you’re doing well, at least well enough not to come back to cartooning.

There are other places outside the United States where being a journalist can be very dangerous. Mexico can be a very bad place for journalists, not so much from the government but from drug cartels. Murderers of journalists in Haiti are likely to go unpunished. Pakistan is considered extremely dangerous for a reporter. The wars in Myanmar and Sudan are also killing journalists.

No deaths of journalists from White Genocide in South Africa have been reported, maybe because there’s no White Genocide in South Africa.

Since 2014, at least 17 journalists have been killed in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, at least 184 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza.

12 people were killed in Paris, which is not a war zone, in 2015 at the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, by terrorists angered by cartoons of Muhammad in 2012. Five of the 12 killed were cartoonists.

Here in the United States, despite Rivers’ cowardice, a political cartoonist has never been assassinated. The biggest threat to our press freedom here comes from the owners of news outlets, as they all bow in fear before Tiny TACO. But that might be changing. (snip-MORE)

The one who should be going to prison by Ann Telnaes

Trump calls for jailing people who burn the U.S. flag Read on Substack

More proof Trump doesn’t respect the First Amendment and isn’t familiar with the Supreme Court decision protecting flag-burning.

Freedom To Marry, and More, in Peace & Justice History for 6/12

https://www.peacebuttons.info/E-News/peacehistoryjune.htm#june12

Letters From An American video feed with Sec. Buttigieg

Conversation with Secretary Buttigieg by Heather Cox Richardson

A recording from Heather Cox Richardson’s live video Read on Substack

(There is also a transcript, available on the page.)

Jimmy Kimmel Tells the Truth About What’s REALLY Happening in LA

From The Smart Ones:

No Kings, Yas Queens

Snippet:

“There is a free printable PDF or PNG at their KoFi, along with a pre-order for stickers and tshirts, which will ship later in June.

More than 1800 NO KINGS rallies are planned for this Saturday, June 14, as counter programming to the most embarrassing example of fascist onanism ever.

And, since June is Pride month, there are a lot of Pride activities going on that date, too. Perhaps yours also overlap, and this sign will work for you, too!

Thanks to Chris for permission to share – this design is so great, I had to share it.

Stay safe out there, and wherever you are, please know that you are loved exactly as you are. Whether you can live your life openly or keep parts of yourself hidden, you’re seen and welcomed and loved.”