Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) on Saturday criticized Vice President Vance for referring to him by the wrong name at a presser in Los Angeles the night before.
The vice president called California’s senior senator “Jose” and alleged his forcible removal from last week’s Department of Homeland Security press conference was due to a desire to create “theater” amid unrest in the city sparked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.
“He knows my name. He knows my name,” Padilla said during a Saturday appearance on MSNBC.
“Look, sadly, it’s just an indicator of how petty and unserious this administration is,” he continued. “He’s the vice president of the United States. You think he’d take the situation in Los Angeles more seriously.
Several Democrats came to Padilla defense after Vance’s Friday remarks. Many of them slammed the leader for misnaming Padilla, whom he served alongside in the senate prior to becoming vice president.
Vance’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the matter.
Padilla on Saturday, however, said he’s not focused on the incident, but rather the safety of California’s immigrant community.
“You know, you think maybe he’d take a moment to talk to some of the families who have been impacted, have been terrorized, to feel what’s really going on on the ground,” Padilla told MSNBC, referring to residents who expressed fear following mass ICE raids across the state.
In the days following raids and arrests, protests gathered to express outrage over the Trump administration’s crack down on illegal immigration in Los Angeles.
President Trump sent thousands of the state’s National Guard soldiers and hundreds of Marines to respond to violent demonstrations. But California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said their presence is unwarranted and sued the president for unleashing the soldiers without first consulting him.
A judge this week ruled in favor of Trump, affirming the president’s ability to dispatch National Guard soldiers if he sees the need for boots on the ground.
“Many of the Marines themselves don’t want to be there. That’s not why they enlisted,” Padilla said Saturday.
The lawmaker said instead of meeting with law enforcement in Los Angeles, Vance should instead aid the state’s response to recent natural disasters and concerns from immigrant families.
“We’ve got a lot of important work to do,” Padilla added. “But this is how the vice president chooses to act, and that says a lot.”
