Tensions explode on House floor over Padilla incident
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Rep. John Mannion at a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 5 (left) and Rep. Mike Lawler outside a House Republican conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol on June 4 (right). Photos: Bill Clark and Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.
Rep. John Mannion (D-N.Y.) shocked colleagues in both parties Thursday by tearing into Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) in what sources described as a tense and profane confrontation over the forcible removal of Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).
Why it matters: Lawmakers and aides who witnessed the Mannion-Lawler incident described it to Axios as the product of rising partisan tensions over the Trump administration's use of legal and physical force against Democrats.
- "The temperature is rising in here. There's a lot of unnecessary comments being thrown around, insinuations," said Rep. Julie Johnson (D-Texas).
- "What we're seeing with the actions of this administration is out of control, and Republicans aren't doing anything to reign it in. Tempers are flaring."
What happened: As Lawler was speaking to Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) on the Democratic side of the floor, Mannion began shouting at his fellow New Yorker, multiple sources who saw the interaction told Axios.
- "Mannion stands up and just starts yelling at him for absolutely no reason but emotion about the atmosphere that we're in right now," said one House Democrat who was standing close by.
- The lawmaker said Mannion told Lawler "something to the effect of, 'You've got to do something. Stand up. Grow a pair of balls.'"
- Lawler's response, they said: "F*** you ... I have no idea what you're talking about."
The intrigue: Just before the vote, Mannion had a similar outburst during a press conference on the House steps regarding the Padilla incident.
- "We need you," he shouted at the press. "We need you to hold them accountable. Media, it's your country too."
- "Don't cover the distractions. Cover the actions that lead us towards authoritarianism, please."
What they're saying: "I asked him to compel his colleagues to save the country and stop what the people of this country do not want ... the defiance of law," Mannion told Axios of his comments to Lawler.
- He added: "Mike Lawler and I served in the state legislature. He knows well enough."
- Lawler said in a post on X: "John Mannion was entirely unhinged and unprofessional. That was a shameful display that exposed his complete lack of temperament."
- "No wonder numerous staffers have previously alleged a toxic work environment. He should go seek help for anger management — and f*** off," Lawler added.
State of play: Padilla was pushed to the ground and handcuffed by Department of Homeland Security officers after trying to confront DHS Secretary Kristi Noem at a press conference in Los Angeles.
- The incident comes just a day after Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) was indicted by the Trump administration for allegedly assaulting law enforcement outside an ICE facility in her state, which she denies.
- A staffer for Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) was also handcuffed and briefly detained by a DHS officer at the congressman's New York City office last month.
- After the incident at Nadler's office, House Administration Committee ranking member Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.) sent congressional offices a letter advising them to "exercise control of your physical space" and ask law enforcement for a warrant.
What we're hearing: "People are so on edge," a senior House Democrat told Axios of the blowup between Mannion and Lawler.
- "This floor is raw ... People think they are going to come in and arrest people on the floor," the lawmaker added. "
- Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), a member of Democratic leadership, described the mood on the floor as "very tense."
- Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah), the vice chair of the House Republican conference, told Axios: "We cannot let the tinderbox that's going on right now ... continue. We need to have a peaceful weekend."
The bottom line: As Mannion was walking out of the Capitol, Panetta turned to him and asked, "What are you doing?"
- "My own thing," Mannion replied with a slight shrug.
- Panetta said in response: "Apparently, man."
