Alex Padilla: “That's ridiculous. It's a lie but par for the course for this administration.”

The 2026 midterm elections have begun. We urge you to immediately reaffirm that the Department will forgo any actions that would interfere with the lawful administration of the 2026 elections.

I know how California elections work very, very well. They’re safe, they’re secure. They’re fair, they’re free, and they’re going to stay that way.

Still, this incident is a stark reminder of the very real dangers facing those who serve the public and who help administer our elections in the face of increasingly hostile political rhetoric — especially from Donald Trump.

My office is in touch with the FBI, U.S. Postal Service and Senate security officials following a suspicious package the U.S. Postal Service intercepted before reaching our office. Thankfully, no threat was posed to my staff or our office.