California Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio announced plans to file a lawsuit challenging a new state law, dubbed the "Stop Nick Shirley Act" by critics, which he contends will criminalize citizen journalism and impede investigations into fraud. The law, officially titled "Privacy for immigration support services providers," establishes privacy protections for individuals and organizations offering immigration support services, including safeguarding their addresses and imposing penalties for publishing their images on social media.
DeMaio stated that the bill effectively prohibits citizens from documenting and publicizing alleged fraud involving taxpayer money. "What does the Stop Nick Shirley Act do? It basically makes it illegal for a citizen journalist to document fraud of taxpayer money and post that on the internet in form of an internet video," he said.
The legislation, signed by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, is set to take effect on October 1. DeMaio, along with a coalition of civil liberties advocates, is preparing to file legal briefs and seeks intervention from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Civil Rights. "It is our hope that the U.S. Department of Justice will file to intervene in that case, because this is an open-and-shut infringement on our First Amendment rights," DeMaio added.
DeMaio criticized the governor and the Democratic-controlled legislature, alleging they have created a significant problem with taxpayer money abuse. He accused Newsom of attempting to silence watchdog groups to protect left-wing non-governmental organizations that allegedly provide political benefits rather than public services. "Gavin Newsom, once again, you're a bully trying to silence citizen watchdogs into not exercising their First Amendment rights and exposing your fraud, the billions of dollars that you've allowed to be wasted of precious taxpayer funds, all because you want the benefit of these left-wing NGOs to help you politically," DeMaio asserted.
In response, a spokesperson for Governor Newsom, Diana Crofts-Pelayo, denied that the law has any connection to Nick Shirley and characterized the lawsuit threat as an attempt by "MAGA Republicans" to fabricate conspiracy theories or a misunderstanding of the bill's provisions. "This law has nothing to do with Nick Shirley and the real controversy here is that MAGA Republicans are either lying to create up fake conspiracy theories, or none of them know how to read," Crofts-Pelayo stated. She further clarified that the bill does not affect Shirley's journalism, which the governor's office has previously described as "grifting" and "lying," nor does it serve to conceal fraud.