SACRAMENTO — In a move that has ignited a First Amendment firestorm, California’s Democratic-controlled legislature has passed AB 2624, a bill opponents have dubbed the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” and sent it to Gov. Gavin Newsom for his signature. The measure, introduced by Assemblymember Mia Bonta — wife of Attorney General Rob Bonta — is ostensibly aimed at protecting immigration-service providers from harassment, doxxing, and threats. But critics, including at least one Republican lawmaker, argue the real target is independent journalism that has exposed fraud and corruption.
The legislation would establish new privacy protections for individuals associated with immigration-support services who face threats due to their work. Supporters frame it as a necessary safety measure for workers and volunteers in a heated political climate. Yet the timeline and details suggest otherwise, according to detractors.
The ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ and Its Namesake
The bill’s unofficial moniker comes from Nick Shirley, an independent journalist and videographer whose undercover-style exposés have reportedly uncovered large-scale fraud among daycare operators in both Minneapolis and San Diego. Shirley’s work, widely shared on social media, has irritated powerful special interests with deep ties to California’s political establishment, according to a report by American Thinker.
Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, one of the few Republicans in the statehouse, minced no words in his condemnation. “California Democrats are trying to intimidate citizen watchdog journalists and protect waste and fraud happening in far-Left-wing NGOs,” DeMaio said in a statement. “AB 2624 can only be described as the ‘Stop Nick Shirley Act’ — a bill designed to silence citizen journalists exposing fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars.”
DeMaio argued that the bill would allow activists and taxpayer-funded organizations to demand the removal of video evidence—even when it captures misconduct in plain view—and would subject journalists to massive financial penalties. “That’s not about public safety—it’s about protecting powerful interests,” he added.
A Question of Motive
The American Thinker report notes that supporters claim the bill is about safety for NGO workers, but the only actual victim of threats and violence in this saga has been Shirley himself. The outlet points to an incident involving a California State Assembly Chief of Staff who allegedly printed and distributed materials mocking Shirley, using tax-funded public resources to slander the journalist—an episode captured on video and shared on X.
“Obviously, it’s not a safety matter, given that Shirley, not the NGOs, is the only one here who has been subject to threats, doxxings, and violence,” the report states.
The report also draws a parallel to the broader political narrative that paints Republicans as dangerous, a trope it claims has been used to justify actions ranging from military readiness failures to FEMA operatives in Florida bypassing hurricane victims who displayed Trump signs. “It’s garbage. The violence is coming from the left,” the report asserts, citing the video as evidence.
Constitutional Concerns
Legal experts and critics argue that AB 2624 runs afoul of the First Amendment. The bill’s provisions—allowing removal of video evidence and imposing financial penalties—would chill undercover investigations and public scrutiny of immigration organizations, they say. The American Thinker report predicts the law, if enacted, would likely be challenged in federal court, given its “naked violation of the First Amendment.”
DeMaio echoed that sentiment: “If this bill becomes law, the message is clear to every journalist in California: expose corruption and you will be punished. AB 2624 is an unconstitutional direct attack on transparency and the First Amendment—and it needs to be defeated.”
Broader Implications
The fight over AB 2624 is more than a single-state skirmish; it underscores a deepening divide over the role of citizen journalism and the lengths to which lawmakers will go to protect entrenched interests. The American Thinker report argues that Democrats have a stake in the fraud Shirley exposed, suggesting that the multibillion-dollar fraud debilitating the state—and driving tax increases—continues because of voter and campaign kickbacks.
“The rigging runs deep, and once more, Democrats are willing to shut down all other rights to preserve it,” the report concludes.
For now, all eyes turn to Gov. Newsom, who must decide whether to sign the bill into law, veto it, or let it become law without his signature. The outcome will likely set a precedent for how California—and the nation—balances privacy concerns against the public’s right to know.
Source: www.americanthinker.com — https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/08/california-s-state-democrats-pass-the-stop-nick-shirley-act-to-shut-down-independent-journalism/