A bill that critics say will stop journalists from reporting on government fraud passed the California Assembly today with votes in favor from Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, and Diane Papan, D-San Mateo.
Assembly Bill 2624, dubbed the Stop Nick Shirley Act for the Youtuber who exposed fraudulent government-funded charities in Minnesota, now goes to the Senate.
Another Mid-Peninsula legislator, Josh Becker, D-Menlo Park, is in the Senate, which will vote next on this bill. He said via text on Tuesday night that he hasn’t read the bill yet because, at that time, it was still over the in Assembly.
The bill’s author, Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, who is married to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, wrote the bill to protect employees of nonprofits who provide services to illegal immigrants.
The bill bans the photography of employees of protected organizations if the cameras make the employee feel threatened. Anyone who posts photos or the personal information of those employees on the internet could be fined a minimum $4,000 per violation.
Nick Shirley and other journalists will sometimes visit the places where they suspect fraud is occurring and try to interview those in charge. This bill stops such visits.
In fact, the bill would allow the immigrant service provider to sue a person or business for posting the images or information.
Shirley is best known for showing up to a daycare center that had a sign saying “Quality Learing (sic) Center.” The operators of the Quality Learing Center have since been federally charged for misappropriating taxpayer dollars, and the center was permanently shut down.
“Under AB 2624, government-funded entities like the Somali ‘Learing’ Daycare centers would be protected from being exposed if they operated inside California,” Shirley wrote on X.
“This is not about protecting people from violence,” said Assemblyman Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego. “This is about threatening and intimidating people who are trying to shine a light on bad behavior.”
“If you have nothing to hide, why fear the transparency?” DeMaio asked.
Mia Bonta’s office said the bill isn’t intended to hinder journalism. Her spokesman, Daniel McGreevy, told KCRA-TV in Sacramento, that the bill is to protect workers facing threats and harassment.
“The bill is not intended to impede journalism, and we’re committed to ensuring that’s clear in the language,” McGreevy said.
The Assembly analysis explains what the bill hopes to stop. “In 2025, following a series of immigration raids, there has been a surge in misinformation and harmful rhetoric disseminated by right-wing media outlets and some elected officials. This has contributed to the spread of false and damaging content on social media, often targeting organizations and individuals working in immigrant services.”
And you wonder why people are fleeing California in droves…
Nonsense. Protecting those that gain from fraudulent tactics, hurt tax payers, and the nation is corruption.
Government getting away with hiding fraud and corruption they all should be arrested for treason.
There’s a lot of quality learing that needs to be hidden
Give an example of where or why it should be hidden
‘…with votes in favor from Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, and Diane Papan, D-San Mateo.’ We now have two politicians to vote out of office.
Fraudsters who are stealing tax money need to be protected from YouTube. Otherwise, they may feel unsafe.
After all, CA taxpayers are just here to be ripped off…
CA is responsible for exposing fraud. When a journalist can so easily expose the “Learing” fraud, instead of focusing on the fraud, they focus on the journalist!
Bonta knows the courts will knock this bill down. She’s hoping it’s the law long enough to prevent scandals from popping up while Gavin is running for president.
Notice that the sponsors are all Democrats? It seems that one party is not particularly interested in stopping fraud, or in preserving the 1st amendment.
The money flows to these nonprofits. They give a cut to the Democratic politicians in their town. The politicians make sure nobody discovers the fraud. They’re thinking, “There’s an election coming up, we’ve got to keep the money rolling in the door!”
Unbelievable. I mean why follow any laws at this point? They’ve gamed the system and have started passing laws to protect the wrong people, while acting like they’re doing the right thing. This is insane.
These are the people trying to hide the fraud. They are evil and corrupt. the people of California need to know where all of the money is going to.
They have basically made investigative journalism illegal
Mia Bonta
Bill Co-Author(s):
Isaac Bryan
María Elena Durazo
Sade Elhawary
Lena Gonzalez
Josh Lowenthal
Sasha Perez
Chris Ward
If the Legislature can pass a law stopping reporters from uncovering fraud, anybody is free to ripoff billions of dollars — and have the theft kept from the knowledge of the public. Sweet deal.
The proof of election fraud consists in part of things like this. Who would vote for these laws? We could say “stupid people.” Who votes for these politicians? We could say “stupid people.” But are there none but stupid people in California? In other words, all these politicians keep getting elected and all these outrageous laws and policies keep getting passed—how? Are the people really honestly voting for them? Is everyone in California hopelessly stupid? You be the judge.
The Fraud needs to be Stopped and No One should be above the Law. California has one of the highest taxes do to this California use to be a nice place. Also Certain Governor and Politicians are skimming g from the top …Do the math look at there Salary how long have they been in office and how much money they should have made in there career and at what there real property assets they have that tells you who they are you cannot say they made iall of it in investments or a huge inheritance have them prove where this money came from even insider’s trading.. There should also be a stipulation on how long you can be in politics as whenever the full retirement age is reach they should be ousted as we ourselves should not be in a management position in a professional career at 85 that is just to old to make important decisions way to many old politicians in office I am retired myself at 61 you don’t have to work your entire life same with the supreme Judges and higher courts there should be term limits which will allow change
I hope someone investigates how that 11% additional State tax on ammunition and gun purchases is being wasted on “after school programs” and “gun violence prevention”. It is these kinds of bills passed by our politicians rather than the people that helps the politicians get re elected by those lining their pockets. This law would prevent or greatly hinder investigation as well as possibly violate parts of our 1st Amendment rights.