More federal officials representing the Bay Area and California spoke out Sunday about U.S. strikes on Iran the day before, citing President Donald Trump’s alleged disregard of going to Congress first and worries that the country could now be embroiled in another war.
On Saturday, the U.S. bombed three nuclear sites in Iran in an effort to knock out the country’s uranium enrichment program, which is a precursor to being able to build a nuclear weapon.
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, fresh off criticizing Trump after federal agents tackled him to the ground and handcuffed him in Los Angeles last week after he attempted to ask a question of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, said Sunday that the strikes on Iran should have been approved by Congress under Article 1 of the Constitution.
“Before any further military action is taken President Trump must come before Congress,” Padilla said in a statement released by his office. “That’s not just a matter of process — it’s a matter of law.”
Padilla said Trump risked igniting a wider war in the region and harming Americans.
“Dismantling Iran’s nuclear weapons program is imperative for America’s national security and essential to Israel’s safety and right to exist,” said Padilla. “However, it is unacceptable that the president disregarded his constitutional responsibility to seek and secure congressional authorization before launching these strikes.”
U.S. Rep. John Garamendi, D-Fairfield, a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, said Sunday that only Congress has the power to declare war.
“President Trump’s unilateral and unauthorized decision to conduct military strikes against Iran demonstrates how he continues to put his own ego above the safety of our country,” Garamendi said in a statement released by his office. “Without a clear and imminent threat Trump has now dragged our country into a regional war and unnecessarily put thousands of service members at risk.”
Garamendi added that Trump “broke his promise” to bring peace to the Middle East and keep America out of wars.
On Saturday, U.S. Rep Jimmy Panetta, D-Santa Cruz, also decried the president bypassing Congress.
“The President failed to provide a clear objective for these actions or a way to determine the success of the missions,” said Panetta in a statement released by his office. “This type of unauthorized military action could easily lead to an escalation of the conflict and put many of the 40,000 U.S. service members in the Middle East at risk from retaliation from Iran and its proxies.”
The White House on Sunday released quotes from dozens of elected officials praising the military action against Iran.
“The President made the right call, and did what he needed to do,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana. “Leaders in Congress were aware of the urgency of this situation and the Commander-in-Chief evaluated that the imminent danger outweighed the time it would take for Congress to act.”
Johnson added that the president “fully respects the Article I power of Congress, and tonight’s necessary, limited, and targeted strike follows the history and tradition of similar military actions under presidents of both parties.”
House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and Silicon Valley-based U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna on Saturday all opposed the strikes without Congressional approval.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Saturday that his office was monitoring the situation for any potential impacts to California, but he has not commented on it further.
Shut up, Jose.
Shut up, you hypocritical bigot.
Jose Padilla, you were not tackled to the ground … nice try to continue trying to sensationalize your disrespectful behavior in front of media. You were wrong. Video shows it. Just because you are a senator does NOT give you a right to interrupt a press conference.
As for California politicians not knowing, they probably would have WARNED Iran. Yeah I think that little of the cells that are holding political positions in this state.
Trump did nothing different than Obama who dropped 10,00+ bombs on multiple countries and nobody jumped up and down – on but wait he was a democrat. Got it! I hope that they know they are showing their severe case of TDS. I get it Trump is not right on all things, but he ain’t all bad either .
Trump has not broken the law yet, he has 48 hours to present to Congress after making his decision to bring Iran to its knees – Sorry that is the War Powers Act. Simple searches reveal that but our democratic leadership are only trying to stir the pot, nothing new. And what’s worse is that the minions believe them!!
The most disturbing part of your post is that you’re a “Parent”
Why, because I made fun a fool who interrupted a cabinet secretary during a press conference by walking/rushing (depends on your viewpoint) a podium? And then when asked, then told to move back continued to physically attempt to push their way forward? And during this physical altercation said he was a senator, like it made a difference. It does not … your challenged physically the team responsible for proteciton of a cabinet secretary. How are they supposed to know that you are not a threat? And then he said was thrown to the ground and handcuffed? He was not thrown … it was one of the nicest takedowns I have even witnessed.
His 15 minutes is way over.
And if your were really offended by the comment, you are way to soft.
The the War Powers Act has never been adjudicated by the Supreme Court, it my very well be an unconstutional power grab by the Legislative Branch over the powers of the Executive Branch.
Fed Up,
.
Which means the War Powers Act is constitutional unless or until it’s determined to be unconstitutional.
That’s some logic you are using there.So an Illegal order is Legal until it’s ruled illegal? The wierd thing is you cannot bring an action unless you have Standing. In the case of the war powers act only those “injured” by it would have standing i.e. the Iranians. whereas I Believe the “War Powers Act” is unconstitutional on its face because it attempts to circumvent the Constitution with a Legislative act. I hate to tell you but the Constitution trumps a Legislative act every time. If you want to limit Executive Power amend the Constitution!
Fed Up,
.
It’s the way our system works, laws passed by Congress are constitutional unless and until they’re determined to be unconstitutional.
Fed Up,
.
You stated that the Iranians have standing to challenge the constitutionality of the War Powers Act, but wouldn’t President Trump have standing since you also stated it’s an “unconstitutional power grab by the Legislative Branch over the powers of the Executive Branch”? You’re making the argument that the Executive/President is the “injured party” because of the existence of the War Powers Act.
.
My guess is that The White House will use Article II and the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) as the authority it used to bomb Iran.
application of military force an declaration of war are two different things
https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cjil/vol1/iss2/16/
https://www.cato.org/commentary/president-obamas-illegal-war#
Generally, the president can use the military without explicit congressional approval in certain situations, particularly for defensive actions or limited deployments. However, the scope of this power and the extent to which Congress must be involved is a long-standing debate.
This is obviously not a declaration of war. Very limited intervention, we just went after the Nukes.
Parent,
.
President Obama likely used the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) for most, if not all, of those countries and the high seas where he authorized military action. President Trump may have done the same.
Grandstanding Jose to fake outrage to get likes… “cry a little more pal”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKV8LALk8GY
of course they do,its not as if they have brain or can think past 78 IQ
An where would the world be in 3 1/2 years, if giggles and walz had won ? ? ? ?
Would iran have nukes If invertebrate democrat’ foreign policy failures continued ? ?
.
“We maintain the peace through our strength;
weakness only invites aggression.”
— Ronald Reagan
we would be speaking another language.
giggles’ decision making process,
https://patriotpost.us/cartoons/35697
Obama attacked at least 7 countries, so don’t make this a Trump thing!
Pure TDS.
The quislings who criticize the destruction of Iran’s nuke program wish they could go back in time so they could also protest Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Anything to blame Trump.
Just saying,
.
President Obama likely used the 2001 AUMF (Authorization for the Use of Military Force) for most, if not all, of the instances were he authorized military action in those 7 countries.
Definition of oxymoron: California leaders
I like this guy, Trump.
He acts like an AMERICAN President.
Article II Section 2
-president can order U.S. forces into military action if, in his judgement, the safety or strategic interests of the U.S. are threatened
Yes, the Executive can! Obama did it.Bush did it too.
What he did was legal.
If he had “consulted” over the decision, it would have been leaked to the press, social media, and likely directly to Iran. The people quoted above need to understand some of their party affiliates in Congress are moles. You can’t give a heads up to moles.
Does no one remember Operation Praying Mantis?!?
In April 14, 1988 the guided missile frigate USS Samael B. Roberts (FFG-58) struck a waterborne mine while steaming in International wars in the Persian Gulf. The Roberts suffered 15 ft hole in hull and flooded her engine room and nearly sank. 10 sailors suffered burn injuries but there was no loss of life.
Navy divers recovered several mines in the area and the serial numbers of mines recovered were found to match those of mines seized on an Iranian barge the previous September.
President Reagan as Commander in Chief authorized Operation Pray Mantis unilaterally and without prior Congressional Approval.
On April 18, 1988, the US Navy attack destroyed, damaged, or sank two Iranian oil platforms, three warships, several armed boats, and two fighter jets. The loss for Iran amounted to half their operational naval fleet.
The only US loss were two U.S. Marine aviators who died when their helicopter crashed into the Gulf. The helicopter crash does not appear to have been the result of combat. No US Navy ships were damaged and no sailors were hurt.
Operation Praying Mantis was the largest surface naval action for the U.S. Navy since World War II.
Congress passed the War Power Resolution or Act into law in 1973. Before anyone wants to give a Civics lesson, Yes Congress wrote the Bill, Nixon vetoed it and Congress overrode the veto and make it the law of the land.
The law requires the POTUS to do two things:
1) Notify Congress, no specifications as to how or whom in Congress must be notified, within 48 hours of introducing armed forces into hostilities or situation where hostilities are imminent.
2) Unless Congress declares war or otherwise authorizes the action, the law mandates that the armed forces must be withdrawn within 60 to 90 days. (likely not Constitutional).
Trump notified the Nation with in 48 hours. The Bombers and escort aircraft have left Iranian airspace.
Trump has complied with the War Powers Resolution/Act as written and passed by Congress.
Obviously bombing Iran is not first time a POTUS from either political party has used his inherent powers of the presidency as Commander in Chief to use force in the national interest of the nation and I assure you it will not be the last.
If certain member of Congress are upset over the POTUS following the Bill they signed into law then Congress should write better legislation.
Would our California “Leaders” have the same reaction if Biden called for the same strikes? LOL
Although I am not a “CA leader”, I would have had the same reaction. The same exuberance, the same happiness, the same sense of relief. Unfortunately, nobody woke Biden up.
The elected CA pols who are complaining the loudest would have lined up behind Joe and talked about his “leadership”, “judgement”, “iron will”, etc. Just like good toadies. Joe might be Pres if he had the stones to act as decisively as Trump. But he isn’t because he didn’t.
It is refreshing to have a President who acts vs. a party that continuously screws everything up then blames everyone else.
All wars are rich man’s wars. We don’t need a war right now. We need to fix our economy, unemployment and insane “science driven” excuses for wasting money. Otherwise the country is going to crash and burn.
I don’t think you have to worry.
Israel has established total air superiority over Tehran on day 2. As evidenced by them conducing daylight bombardment of Tehran with impunity. To put this into prospective, Russa has been at war with Ukraine for 3 years and still has not established air superiority.
No one, not the Israelis or the US is talking about invasion. There is zero advantage to do so and a ton of negatives.
No nation is the region is lifting a finger militarily or humanitarianly to help Iran. Not Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia or the Emirates. Yes they are all saying Israel is bad but their defensive posture is neutral. So long as Israel doesn’t let mission creep occur and doesn’t try to occupy Iran, I believe the Middle-East is quite happy to allow Israel to remove a thorn from their collective sides.
As to US involvement? Other then having the specialized capability to bomb hardened bunkers buried deep underground and to keep the Strait of Hurmuz open, Israel appears quite capable of taking care of this with their own military personnel.
Even when Iran fired missiles in retaliation at out M.O.B. in Qatar, they gave the US advanced warning and the missiles were intercepted. It would seem that Iran would like first bombing by the US to also be the last bombing by the US. I’m sure November 4, 1979 is in the back of their minds and well it should be.
But YMMV.
Back to our regularly scheduled programing.
Iran has bent the knee.
What do any of these scatterbrains know about it?
Trump gives the whole world a collective sigh of relief by eliminating the nuclear processing capabilities of the number one sponsor of terrorism on planet Earth, and our left wing Socialist officials are trying to tell Trump that he isn’t allowed to do it? and they want to impeach him for it? Insanity.
I suggest all the criticizing Senators and Congressmen resume tending to their special interest groups, fund raising & insider trading and let the Republicans address the threats to our nation and our allies.
You might also consider that Iran still has 900 lbs. of enriched Uranium stashed somewhere that has not been accounted for and it could make one hell of a dirty bomb that you may wind up sitting on along with 1000 lbs of dynamite.
So shut up, go away and let the elected officials in charge finish the job of declawing these A-holes.
Confine your nitwit whining to your wrist wringing comrades on the left side of the peanut gallery…. the adults are busy.
Exactly. Who gives a crap what “California Leaders” think? The majority of these so called leaders have ruined this State and have zero credibility at this point. Stupid, self serving leaders, elected by stupid, clueless voters.
once again manufactured outrage. so stupid
Looks like our CA politicians were WRONG AGAIN! All it took was a President to step up and call their bluff. Cease Fire! 🤣
Those elected to public office in CA are not leaders but our representatives.
The people of this state are the leaders.
The People have allowed the representative to take over.
It’s time to put the representatives back in their place.
I couldn’t hold Trump and his Clown Cabal in any lower regard.
But California politicians are utter lizards, I’ll grant ya that.
Like watching two bums fight, I really don’t care who thinks they’ve won. 🤷
It is Sad, but I am sure there will be a significant number of Democrats, Democrat Politicians who will be upset if the ceasefire happens and is successful… They are consumed with hate, rage…they have become the Party of DIVISION ….
California Leaders Slam President Donald Trump For Iran Strikes
…what CA “leaders” do is typically the wrong thing. Looking at this with hindsight, once again they were wrong. Results speak for themselves.
Speaking of “hindsight” & “slamming” Alex Padilla, John Garamendi, Mike Thompson, Ro Khanna and Gavin Newsom should form a circle and all slam each other’s ham as a protest of Trump’s actions and as a show of their Socialist unity… not to mention as a great amusement to those of us who hate them!
If I were to say kill all “Americans” or “Jews”, that would be ignored or at least silently agreed with.
What if some one were to insert “Iranians” or “Democrats” or “Hamas”. Some of you, would be outraged. You know who you are.