1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

As a sitting U.S. Senator, Alex Padilla had every right to ask questions and hold the administration accountable. The forceful treatment he endured for simply trying to exercise his constitutional duties is entirely unacceptable. This escalation of authoritarian overreach from using military force against protestors to silencing elected representatives raises grave concerns about the erosion of democratic norms. If we allow such heavy-handed tactics against those who question government actions, it sets a dangerous precedent that threatens the foundations of our system of checks and balances. I urge you to forcefully condemn these actions and take decisive steps to rein in this administration's abuse of power. We must stand united in defense of our democratic principles and civil liberties.