1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

Congress must take immediate action to address the concerning incident where Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly removed and arrested while attempting to ask a question at a public press conference. If this egregious violation of free speech and democratic principles can occur to a sitting US Senator, it threatens the rights and liberties of all Americans. The fact that a elected representative was handcuffed for simply seeking information from a Cabinet official is an unacceptable overreach that cannot be normalized or tolerated in a free society. This alarming abuse of power by law enforcement demands a decisive response from Congress to uphold constitutional values and hold those responsible accountable. Failing to act would set a dangerous precedent that undermines the foundations of our democracy. Urgent legislative measures are needed to prevent such authoritarian actions from reoccurring and preserve the public's ability to freely engage with and question their government.